Back in the days of black-and-white television, Atlanta was separated – physically, economically and socially – along color lines.
Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood, located along Auburn Avenue (formerly known as Wheat Street), served as the economic and social center for the city’s African-American community. This neighborhood rose to prominence because of the city’s segregation laws, but by the mid-1900s had fostered a community of individuals ready to challenge the entire Jim Crow system.
Before the civil rights movement, there weren’t many streets or buildings named after African Americans at all. Now, the names of men and women who led the fight against segregation are written into Atlanta’s geography – on street signs, road maps and GPS systems.
Some, like Martin Luther King Jr., are household names. Others didn’t make it into the history books, but their impact on the Atlanta community is still felt today.
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