At the beginning of February, social activists and influencers decided to stand against Target after the retailer decided to restructure its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy. Target said in a statement that it is concluding its three-year DEI goals and its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) Initiatives to accelerate action in key areas, […]
Tag: Atlanta
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Atlanta’s First Community
He was everybody’s cousin. Nobody’s fool. And the richest 21-year-old in town. John Thrasher had been awarded a $25,000 contract to build a railroad embankment. Over the coming months, he would create a clearing in the forest, build several one-room, dirt-floor cabins for labor that he would soon hire and open up a general store […]
Posted inAllison Joyner
Funeral arrangements announced for man killed during encampment demolition
A celebration of life for the man who died during an encampment cleanup on Jan. 16 will be held near the location where he passed away. On Feb. 3, the family and friends of Cornelius Taylor will say their final goodbyes at his funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church at 11 a.m. The church is a […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Early Adopters
They walked into the woods and made lives for themselves. That’s a concept 21st-century Atlantans understandably might have trouble wrapping their heads around. But, for the 19th century settlers whose names would become a part of our city’s history, it was business as usual. While the immediate area chosen for the termination point of the […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Why Atlanta?
During the early days of America’s founding, having access to water was one of the primary prerequisites in choosing a location for a community. It’s not a difficult concept to understand. In addition to the obvious health benefits, having access to water provided a source of power for industry and, for many, water equaled mobility, […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
An Atlanta Alamo Connection
It is a safe bet to say that there were no Atlantans who fought at the Battle of the Alamo. Safe because the battle was over and done with a year before the terminus stake was ever driven into the ground. And yet…there is a connection between Atlanta and the Alamo. Not surprisingly, the connection […]
Posted inColumns
CAU choir goes viral before holiday concert
During Thanksgiving break, what started as a pre-performance warmup ended in a social media video that went viral for the Clark Atlanta University Choir’s Philharmonic Society ensemble. Co-choir director Reggie Gibson didn’t know that one of his students was recording the warmup to add content for their social media platforms, which captured the choir’s vocal […]
Posted inColumns
Spelman’s interim president addresses Helene Gayle’s resignation after leave of absence
Spelman College announced that its president, Dr. Helene Gayle, will not return after taking a leave of absence in October. Interim President Roz Brewer recently provided a video statement announcing the new developments. “I joined the trustees in extending my gratitude to Dr. Gayle for her service to this amazing institution,” Brewer said. She did […]
Posted inColumns, Media, Stories of Atlanta
The Tall Wagging Tale
Sounds good…you be the judge. That’s the deal we’re offering this week, as we tell the tale of a well-known Atlantan who decided to try his hand at event promotion. It’s a tale that has all the makings of a “top notch” Story. Sky-high, death-defying action, a high stakes bet, a puppy dog in danger, […]
Posted inColumns
How a trip to Ghana helped me connect to my ancestors
By Allison Joyner Hi! I’m Efua Dzimafo! It has been one month since I returned from my trip to Ghana, and I am still embracing the experience of being on the same land where my pre-enslaved ancestors once flourished. My 10-day expedition was organized by The Global Intent (TGI), a group travel agency that creates […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Connecting the Dots
This week we play a game of “connect the dots” as we trace the relationship of two famous Georgians who each played a role in Atlanta’s young but stellar past. We start with the birth of Crawford Long in 1815 and take a brief look at why we all owe him a major debt of […]
Posted inColumns
Atlantans reflect on relationship with Quincy Jones after death
When the world lost musician and record, film, and television producer Quincy Jones earlier this month at the age of 91, the ones who loved and worked with him felt his absence immediately. Jones died on Nov. 4 at his Southern California home surrounded by his family. “Tonight, with full broken hearts, we must share […]
Posted inColumns, Media, Stories of Atlanta
Atlanta’s Hoo-Hoos
As the story goes, a journalist in the timber industry named Johnson was describing a most peculiar tuft of hair, greased and twisted to a point atop the otherwise bald head of a man named McCarer. Using a phrase of his own concoction to describe Mr. McCarer’s signature coiffure, Mr. Johnson pronounced it to be […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Unknown Origin of Fulton County
We know the last name but apparently no one bothered to write down the first name. It’s a cautionary tale about the value of taking notes on this week’s Stories of Atlanta.
Posted inLatest News
Willis thanks Fulton County voters for election win
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis will remain in office for another four years. Willis said that she is thankful to voters in Fulton County for trusting her to continue her work and will continue to seek justice for the community. “Fulton County, thank you for trusting me with the honor of serving as your […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Was Atlanta the First?
In the mid-1880s, George Eastman invented a process for coating a photographic emulsion onto a flexible material…put more simply, he invented film. Not only was that a giant leap in the evolution of photography, but the new medium also opened the door for the development of motion pictures. A decade later, Thomas Edison unveiled the […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
It Took A Village
Build a better mousetrap and the world will be a path to your door. Given that the U.S. Patent Office says there have been over 4,400 patents issued for various types of mousetraps, many people must have taken that epigram to heart. And though, it is unlikely that you will find the mousetrap high-up on […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
The Thinking Machine
He was among the more well-known writers of his day, often compared to the creator of Sherlock Holmes. He traveled in a rarified circle of fame and success which was certainly a far cry from his days writing sports for the Atlanta Journal. A Georgia man who made it big discovers the end is near […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Very Hush-Hush
In 1891, Atlanta’s Mayor began spending the City’s money, secretly buying land on the outskirts of Atlanta. It wasn’t a case of embezzlement, just good-old business common sense. In attempting to solve one of the City’s ongoing issues, the mayor had made a decision, a decision that would not only affect every single Atlantan for […]
Posted inStories of Atlanta
Why So Wide?
It was rumored to have miraculous, healing properties and, if the first-person accounts were to be believed, drinking the water from this spring was good for what ails you. Miracle cure or not, what it most definitely turned out to be was a really good business opportunity. It is the tale of thirst and the […]
