Archive Atlanta

Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington forged one of the earliest collaborations between Jews and African Americans to create schools throughout the nation for Black children who had no access to publicly funded education. It was an honor to interview author and photographer Andrew Feiler about this history and how he showcases it in his second book, “A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools that Changed America”. 
The photography exhibition, “A Better Life for Their Children”, debuted at The National Center for Civil and Human Rights on May 22nd and it’s going to be up until December. You can get tickets to the museum here. 
 
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This week, I got to speak with Alicia Guzman, who worked on the research and nomination of Fuller-Freedom House, which the City of Atlanta began the historic designation of in February. Who was Fuller? What did he do? What is a Freedom House? We’re covering all those questions and more! 
https://www.atlcitydesign.com/blog/2021/3/15/fuller-freedom-house-designated-as-historic-landmark
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Zoo Atlanta is part of the lived experience of so many Atlantans, but I’m not sure that everyone knows how it started. From a small collection of local animals when the park was formed, to the defunct circus in 1889, to a Candler boost in 1935. We’re going to talk about the famous animals, the controversies, the decline and then later re-emergence of the zoo.
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*CORRECTION: Judge Orinda Evans is white woman. I mistakenly identified her as Black in this episode.*
This week, we’re talking about the history Georgia’s state flag, from the beginning of the colony through the present. Our state did not have an official state flag until 1879, and the design was taken from the first flag of the Confederate States of America (the “Stars and Bars”). The Battle Flag (“St. Andrew’s Cross”) was added in 1956, in retaliation of federal orders to desegregate schools.
When Roy Barnes successfully changed the state flag in 2001, it cost him re-election, and Sonny Perdue did a little ‘bait and switch’ that outraged flag supporters.
Roy Barnes on Marietta Stories
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Did you know that throughout the 1950s, Atlanta had a Christmas Card Lady? Laura Watson recycled hundreds of thousands of used holiday cards, turning them into new ones to send to hospitals, missionaries and 'shut-ins'. This week's mini episode is about Watson and her labor of love.
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This week, we’re talking about the period just before Atlanta’s “white flight”. Three decades of incessant terror, violence and destruction against the Black families that purchased or rented homes in what were considered “white neighborhoods''.
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This week, we’re talking about the history of Atlanta’s City Hall...not just the Art Deco masterpiece you can see today, but also the places that no longer exist. Where they were, how we got them and what their fate was. Our current City Hall (the 4th one in history), was built in 1930 and brought forth something called the Atlanta Graft Ring - an epic corruption scandal that brought down a mayor and won the Constitution a Pulitzer Prize. 
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This week, we’re talking about Kirkwood - its earliest settlement history, community landmarks and historic events and people. This Muskogee/Creek land was ceded in 1821 and divided into 5 initial land lots. Early white settlers include James Kirkpatrick and Jesse Clay. Post-Civil War, Kirkwood became home to politicians like John B. Gordon. It tried to incorporate as it's own city in 1899 (not without drama), which didn't pass until 1904, and then was annexed into Atlanta in 1921 (more drama). After 'white flight' of the late 50s/early 60s, Kirkwood becomes an exclusively African American neighborhood by 1967. 
 
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This week we're talking about Henrietta Dozier, the first female architect in Atlanta, and Leila Ross Wilburn, the second. Who doesn't love a story of women acting against the grain that was prescribed to them by their time period, social norms or gender. Both Henrietta and Leila are examples of that, and they both leave legacies that we can physically see today, although not all in Atlanta.
https://www.makdecatur.org/lrw-homes-in-mak
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It’s safe to say that home ownership is one of, if not THE tenet of the American Dream, but did you know that idea didn’t really come around until the 1920s? And to sell Americans on this idea, a Federal program was created, which then supported marketing campaigns in thousands of US cities?
This week we’re talking about the Better Homes Movement - what it was, who started it and then we’re going to get into Better Home Week - a 7 day open house event held all over the country, Atlanta included. Our city was so enthused by the idea, we even spawned our own separate tour and the best part? So many of these model homes are still standing today - and I am going to tell you where to find them.
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