The Moultrie-Colquitt County Library System has a wonderful product on its website — digitized copies of almost all the Moultrie Observers that we have published, going all the way back to 1894.

For decades The Observer has provided the library with copies of the newspaper — either physical or on microfilm. A few years ago, the library — in conjunction with the John Benning Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and many other generous donors — made copies of those newspapers that can be displayed and searched online. You can type in the name of a person or other keyword and find all the issues in which that person or thing is mentioned in an Observer story. Try it at mccls.org; the link is at the bottom of the webpage.

The archive is not perfect, unfortunately. The library can’t archive what we didn’t send them, and some things were left out over the course of so many years.

Twice in the last week and a half, residents have mentioned to us a weekly insert published in The Observer many years ago. Written by the Rev. L.J. “Pony” Jones, the single-sheet insert covered news in the Black community. Based on their recollections and what references we have been able to find, the insert may have begun in the 1940s and probably ended either in the 1960s or early 1970s.

One resident needed information she thought might be in the insert for a project she’s working on. The other person referred one of our reporters to Jones’ section for information to use in a story for Moultrie Scene magazine.

Neither the library, nor the Museum of Colquitt County History, nor The Observer can find any copies of Jones’ section.

The Observer is reaching out to the community in hope that one or more personal collections in the community include some issues of the sections. If you own some and would be willing to let us copy them, please contact Observer Editor Kevin C. Hall at (229) 985-4545.

The Observer is not looking to take ownership of the sections — all we want to do is make photocopies — but if you are interested in donating them to the library or to the museum, we can help get you in contact with officials of those agencies.

There is a very real possibility this part of our local history has already been lost, but if it hasn’t, we’d like to help preserve it.