N’neka Scruggs refuses to let Stone Mountain Park’s massive memorial carving of Confederate leaders bother her. “That was put there as an act of aggression towards Black people,” Scruggs said of the 51-year-old memorial site, where the Ku Klux Klan used to burn crosses. “I’d rather it not be there, but I don’t pay it […]
Culture
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Ready for 404 Day? So Are We. Here’s What You Need to Know.
In Atlanta, 404 is more than just an area code. April 4th — or 404 Day (or “fo-oh-fo”) — is an annual celebration of all things unique to Atlanta. Since 2020, Official 404 Day with Atlanta Influences Everything and Butter.ATL has been producing programming around the holiday that honors and recognizes Black Atlanta’s global influence. […]
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Jimmy Carter’s Pivotal Role in Georgia’s Black Civil Rights Struggle
Jimmy Carter wasn’t as outspoken about racial politics on the campaign trail during his second run for governor in 1970, but after winning the race, he made his then-controversial position on integration clear. “The time for racial discrimination is over,” Carter declared on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol after becoming the state’s 76th […]
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Oakland Cemetery’s First Black Director of Horticulture Talks Site’s Complicated Past
Somewhere between gardening and a good Black history book is where you’ll find Abra Lee. Lee, the first Black director of horticulture at Oakland Cemetery, is an ornamental horticulturist by trade. She’s also the author of the forthcoming book Conquer The Soil: Black America and the Untold Stories of Our Country’s Gardeners, Farmers, and Growers. […]
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How Bunnie Jackson-Ransom Changed Atlanta
Mother. Businesswoman. Leader. Author These are the words used to remember and describe the legacy of Burnella “Bunnie” Jackson-Ransom. The former first lady of Atlanta’s first Black mayor, Maynard Jackson, died Feb. 2 at the age of 82. Originally from North Carolina, Jackson-Ransom moved to Atlanta in 1965, where she embarked on a nearly 60-year […]
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The Founder of Atlanta’s Oldest Black History Museum Talks Auburn Avenue’s Future
Ask anyone in Atlanta, there is no place Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy is felt more than his birth neighborhood, the Sweet Auburn Historic District. The neighborhood’s major thoroughfare, Auburn Avenue, was once named the “richest Negro street in the world” by Fortune magazine in 1956 for its legacy of Black businesses and congregations. It […]
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Meet Ranger Marty, the Man Tasked With Preserving Martin Luther King’s Legacy
Just the mention of Coretta Scott King’s name is enough to bring a reflective smile to the face of park ranger Marty Smith, aka Ranger Marty, the man tasked with preserving part of her life’s work and the legacy of her husband, slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. “We wouldn’t be here today […]
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Black Residents Talk Pride, Legacy, and Racial Tension on MLK Day
Each year — the third Monday in the month of January — marks the federal holiday recognizing the late Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his nonviolent campaign to end racial segregation in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. One of the most influential civil right leaders of our time, […]
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John Taylor III’s Mission is to Help Black Men Unlock Their Full Potential
EDITOR’S NOTE In Atlanta, we love a great story, but it ain’t all doom and gloom. With that thought in mind, say hello to Everyday Heroes. This place we call home is filled with ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary feats. Their selfless acts make this region so special — and they bring out the best […]
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First Person: Edward Pruett, One of Atlanta’s First Black Mall Santas
EDWARD PRUETT HAD WORKED as a skycap with Eastern Air Lines at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport for years. So when he was asked in 1989 to pilot St. Nick’s sleigh at the Mall West End, it wasn’t a big stretch. Of course, being one of the first Black Santas in an Atlanta mall required more […]