A new marker in downtown Decatur is helping tell the story of one of the city’s early Black business leaders and the entrepreneurs who helped shape the community.
The Macon County African American Heritage Trail recently unveiled a marker honoring Samuel Houston “Hue” Singleton and recognizing the contributions of Black business owners throughout Decatur and Macon County.
The marker is located on Merchant Street, across from the former location of Singleton’s Cafe.
Singleton was born in 1848 and came to Decatur as a young man. He first built his reputation as a barber, operating several shops around downtown Decatur before turning his attention to the restaurant business.
In 1884, Singleton took over a struggling cafe and transformed it into the Singleton Cafe. The restaurant became a successful Decatur business, serving meals, catering events and eventually becoming a well-known gathering place in the community.
Singleton also became an early example of what would now be called a farm-to-table operation. In 1907, he purchased 10 acres of farmland northwest of Decatur, where he grew crops that could be used in his restaurant while also selling feed crops.
His business success extended beyond the restaurant. Singleton eventually purchased the building at 111 North Main Street, where his restaurant operated, and built a large home on his farm property.
The Heritage Trail notes that Singleton became one of Decatur’s most prominent Black businessmen and was regarded as the city’s wealthiest Black resident during his lifetime.
Singleton died in 1926, but his name remains part of downtown Decatur’s history. His story is also part of a larger history of Black entrepreneurship in the city.
The new marker recognizes other Black business owners who provided services and created businesses at a time when employment opportunities for Black residents were often limited. Those businesses ranged from restaurants and barber shops to funeral homes, trucking operations and other services.
For anyone walking through downtown Decatur, the new marker offers another opportunity to learn about the people and businesses that helped build the community long before many of today’s familiar landmarks existed.
For more information about the Macon County African American Heritage Trail and to explore its other markers and historical stories, visit the Macon County African American Heritage Trail website.
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