The Georgia Bicentennial Commission was formed in 1932 to commemorate James Oglethorpe's (1696-1785) establishment of Georgia as a British colony in 1733 and to highlight the state's history and development. Members of the executive board came from across the state: Pleasant A. Stovall (1857-1935), president, from Savannah; Willis A. Sutton (1879-1960), vice president, from Atlanta; John E. Drewry (1903-1983) from Athens; Mrs. Julian C. Lane (Janie) (1883-1965) from Statesboro; James H. Boykin (1878-1945) from Lincolnton; and Jack Williams (1879-1957) from Waycross. Activities ran from February 12th to Thanksgiving Day, 1933, with the bulk of the events between April 15th and October 15th. Some of the more notable events included president Franklin Delano Roosevelt's visit to Savannah where he gave an address on November 18th, and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque honoring those who played vital roles in Georgia's first 200 years.