His senior thesis was titled "An Investigation into the Economic Condition of the Negro in the State of Georgia During the Period of 1860–1900".

In June 1904, he became the first African-American individual Big Ten track champion in conference history, placing first in both the 440-yard dash and the 220-yard hurdles.

[4] The Milwaukee Athletic Club sponsored Poage to compete in the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri.

Many prominent African-American leaders had called for a boycott of the games to protest racial segregation of the events in St. Louis.

An integrated audience was not allowed at either the Olympics or the World's Fair as the organizers had built segregated facilities for the spectators.

[4] Poage chose to compete in four events and became the first black and the first African-American to medal in the Games by winning the bronze in both the 200-yard and 400-yard hurdles.

Local historian Margaret Lichter and Bruce Mouser have speculated that the land was owned by the Easton family.