After state and nonprofit officials told Summerhill residents in July that they are remaining firm in their decision to move the Olympic cauldron out of the southwest Atlanta neighborhood, Mayor Andre Dickens is now adding his voice to the conversation. In a letter to Jeff Cravens, the president of Atlanta Legacy ’96, which is the […]
Community
Posted inCommunity, Culture
New Jovita Moore Mural Unveiled at Bellwood Coffee After Public Pushback
Bellwood Coffee has unveiled new artwork of Jovita Moore after the company faced community pushback this summer for covering up a mural of the late WSB-TV news anchor. In May, the local coffee company faced backlash from residents after its new cafe in Grant Park covered up a colorful mural dedicated to Moore with dark […]
Posted inCommunity
After Years of Organizing, Peoplestown Wins $9.4 Million for Four Corners Park
Columbus Ward, a longtime resident of Peoplestown, remembers when Four Corners Park used to be a vacant lot where neighbors gathered to play softball. Now, thanks to a $9.4 million investment, it’s set to be a space with new amenities including basketball courts, gardens, a skatepark, and more. The transformation of the treasured community space […]
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy
State Officials Stand by Olympic Cauldron Relocation Despite Summerhill Pushback
Last month after Georgia State University announced that there are plans in motion to move the Olympic cauldron out of Summerhill, community members sprang into action. Residents gathered around 2,000 petition signatures and held rallies in opposition of the move. They say the artifact, which once held the flames of the 1996 Olympic Games torch, […]
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy, Transportation
Months After Bus Stop Removal, Seniors Are Still Waiting on MARTA
After facing community pushback for removing a bus stop in front of a Southwest Atlanta senior home, MARTA officials say they’re evaluating if they can include the senior home in its newest shuttle service. For some, who now have to travel more than half a mile to a bus stop, that process could take too […]
Posted inCommunity
After Backlash, Bellwood Coffee Says New Jovita Moore Mural is Underway
After facing community backlash for painting over a mural dedicated to the late WSB-TV news anchor Jovita Moore, an owner of the coffee shop responsible for removing the art said a new mural is officially in the design process. Earlier this summer, Bellwood Coffee came under fire after residents discovered the coffee company’s new cafe […]
Posted inCommunity, Economy, Politics & Policy
As SNAP Shrinks, Atlanta Food Banks Face Record Demand
High gas prices, rising grocery costs, and changes in government assistance programs have prompted local Atlanta food banks and nonprofits to sound an alarm as hundreds of thousands of families need food assistance this summer. In 2020, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the largest food bank in the metro area, served around 170,000 people per […]
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy
The Black Seniors Who Remember Atlanta Before the Stadiums
This story first appeared on For the Record: A Black Oral History Archive. The archive is a collection of over 100 firsthand stories of Black life in America. Tillman Ward, 80, recalls his father building him and his siblings a home on Chestnut Place in Vine City in southwest Atlanta during the 1950s. He remembers watching […]
Posted inCommunity, Culture, Sports
African Nations Make World Cup History as Atlanta Fans Rally Behind Them
Morocco made history as the first African country to reach the semifinals in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This summer, 10 countries are represented. Algeria, Cape Verde, Ghana, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, and South Africa are competing against 38 other countries for the $50 million prize. Tuesday, […]
Posted inCommunity, Politics & Policy
Black Residents Say Moving the Olympic Cauldron Would Erase History
Whenever longtime Summerhill resident Mary Gay drives into her Atlanta neighborhood, the first thing she’s greeted with is the Olympic Cauldron — an artifact that once held the fiery torch for the 1996 Olympic Games. Seeing the historic structure puts a smile on her face because once she sees it, she knows she’s “home.” Last […]
