On Friday, February 11, H & H Restaurant unveiled a newly painted mural dedicated to Louise Hudson and Inez Hill, founders and co-owners of H & H. Mayor Lester Miller and Community Affairs Executive Director Dr. Henry Ficklin presented a proclamation which declares February 11, 2022, as Mama Louise Hudson Day.

Hudson, better known as Mama Louise, is an African American businesswoman who was born in Youngstown, Ohio, grew up in Warrenton, Georgia, and relocated to Macon in 1950. Here, she founded H & H Cafeteria in 1959 alongside her godmother and cousin, Inez Hill, who is known as Mama Hill. They hosted many meetings for the NAACP and other civil rights activists.

In 1965, Mama Louise met Gregg Allman and the Allman Brothers Band when they were starving musicians and couldn’t afford a meal. She graciously fed them and established a lifelong friendship. Because of her dedication and generosity to the band, she became known to all as the true mother of Southern Rock.

You can read the full proclamation here.