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#atlanta #blackhistory #blackexcellence
A-town, Hotlanta, whatever they call it, it's an A list city in Black culture. But how did Atlanta become the Black mecca?
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the year was
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1995 the place New York City the
0:05
paramont theater is filled with hip-hop
0:06
fans attending the source Awards the air
0:09
is tense with the East Coast West Coast
0:10
rivalries that dominated '90s hip-hop a
0:13
new unique group comes to the stage to
0:16
accept the award for new group of the
0:17
year the group is Outcast and they're
0:20
booed by the East Coast friendly crowd
0:22
and then six words were uttered by Andre
0:25
3000 that galvanized the southern
0:27
hip-hop scene for decades to come those
0:29
words I've got something to say that's
0:30
all I got to say but you guys like that
0:33
Batman voice but Andre 3000's words were
0:36
not just about hip-hop by 1995 the South
0:39
specifically Atlanta the epicenter of
0:41
the black South had already been saying
0:43
a lot in the world of music and culture
0:45
and since then Atlanta's contribution to
0:48
Black Culture has exploded but how did
0:50
this city in the woods become the black
0:52
Mecca Atlanta Georgia boasts a rich
0:55
history interwoven with moments of
0:57
Triumph struggle and transformation
0:59
founded in 1837 as a Terminus for
1:01
several railroad lines Atlanta quickly
1:04
grew into a vital Transportation Hub
1:06
originally called Marthasville the city
1:08
was renamed Atlanta in 1847 reflecting
1:11
its connections to the Western and
1:13
Atlantic railroad during its early years
1:16
Atlanta's economy was tied to The
1:17
Agrarian South heavily relying on
1:20
enslave labor Atlanta played a
1:22
significant role in the Civil War as a
1:24
Confederate stronghold and Industrial
1:26
Center the city was a critical Supply
1:28
Hub making it a target for Union forces
1:30
in 1864 General William Sherman's INF
1:33
famous March to the Sea culminated in
1:35
the burning of Atlanta General Sherman
1:38
ordered the destruction of all railroads
1:40
factories and commercial buildings that
1:42
could be of use to the Confederacy
1:44
although Only commercial buildings were
1:46
purposely targeted some homes and
1:48
churches were burned to the ground 40%
1:51
of Atlanta was left in Ruins but despite
1:53
the destruction the city quickly rebuilt
1:55
during Reconstruction symbolizing
1:58
resilience and progress during this
2:00
period Atlanta's black community began
2:02
laying the groundwork for what would
2:04
become a thriving cultural and economic
2:06
presence newly emancipated black
2:08
residents established schools churches
2:11
and businesses institutions like Clark
2:13
College later called Clark Atlanta
2:16
University and morouse college were
2:18
founded providing Education and
2:20
Leadership training for the black
2:22
community in the late 19th and 20th
2:24
centuries Atlanta's black population
2:26
faced significant challenges including
2:28
segregation and racial violence however
2:31
the city's leaders such as Alonzo
2:33
hearnden founder of the Atlanta life
2:35
insurance company and web de boys an
2:38
intellectual and activist worked
2:40
tirelessly to build a strong economic
2:42
and cultural base where Atlanta earned
2:45
its moniker the city too busy to hate
2:47
during the Civil Rights Movement while
2:49
this nickname glossed over the pervasive
2:51
racial inequalities it reflected a
2:54
degree of progressivism compared to the
2:56
other Southern cities the Civil Rights
2:58
Movement found a powerful base in
3:00
Atlanta home to leaders like Dr Martin
3:02
Luther King Jr who of course was born
3:05
and raised in the city Kings work with
3:07
the southern Christian leadership
3:09
conference headquartered in Atlanta
3:11
helped solidify the city's role as a
3:13
center for activism the 1960s saw
3:15
Atlanta at the Forefront of the Civil
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Rights Movement local institutions like
3:19
the Atlanta student movement led by
3:21
students from the Atlanta University
3:22
Center AUC staged stins and protest to
3:26
challenge segregation Atlanta's mayor at
3:28
the time William beart field and his
3:30
successor Ivan Allen Jr worked to
3:33
position the city as a progressive
3:35
Southern Hub supporting desegregation
3:37
efforts and promoting economic growth Dr
3:40
King's Legacy remains deeply embedded in
3:42
Atlanta's identity the King Center
3:44
established by ketta Scott King serves
3:47
as a memorial to his life and work
3:49
Ebenezer Baptist Church where King
3:51
preached remains a symbol of the city's
3:53
pivotal role in the fight for civil
3:55
rights post Civil Rights Movement
3:57
Atlanta became a magnet for
3:58
African-Americans seeking Economic
4:00
Opportunity and cultural connection the
4:03
city's black middle class grew
4:04
substantially bolstered by educational
4:07
institutions like the ACU and thriving
4:10
businesses in 1973 mayard Jackson became
4:13
Atlanta's first black mayor marking a
4:15
turning point in the city's political
4:17
landscape Jackson's tenure focused on
4:20
economic empowerment for the black
4:22
community he championed affirmative
4:24
action policies and ensured the city's
4:26
contracts were awarded to minority owned
4:28
businesses his leader leadership helped
4:30
establish Atlanta as a city where
4:32
African-Americans could Thrive
4:34
economically and politically and that's
4:36
not all there is one more specific thing
4:39
mayor Jackson did that had huge
4:41
consequences because he believed that
4:43
all great cities produce great art mayor
4:46
Jackson worked with then governor of
4:48
Georgia Jimmy Carter on providing grants
4:50
for the Arts of course at the time the
4:52
big players of the art and culture scene
4:55
were New York and La Atlanta started
4:57
attracting Talent especially in music
4:59
the 7s and ' 80s saw the rise of the
5:01
Atlantic music scene with bands like the
5:03
SOS band and where art thrives culture
5:06
and economics also thrive in the 1990s
5:09
Atlanta solidified its reputation as a
5:11
cultural Powerhouse the city hosted the
5:13
1996 Summer Olympics showcasing its
5:16
diversity and modernity on the global
5:19
stage blackowned businesses and
5:21
entertainment companies like LEF records
5:23
flourished but it's like this though I'm
5:26
tired of folks you know what I'm
5:28
saying on the clothes minding folks you
5:31
know what I'm saying it's like we got a
5:32
demo tape on nobody want to hear but
5:34
it's like this the South got something
5:35
to say that's all I got to say Atlanta
5:37
also became synonymous with the rise of
5:39
Southern hip-hop artists like Outcast
5:42
ludicrous and TI brought Southern
5:43
hip-hop to the Forefront cementing the
5:46
city's influence in the music industry
5:48
countless stars have risen out of
5:50
Atlanta some were born there but others
5:52
moved there in pursuit of Artistic
5:54
Endeavors today Atlanta remains a hub
5:56
for entertainment with thriving film and
5:58
television Industries earning it the
6:00
name the Hollywood of the South Atlanta
6:03
is celebrated as a black mecca for the
6:05
thriving economy vibrant culture and
6:08
political influence the city boasts a
6:10
higher percentage of blackowned
6:11
businesses than any other major US city
6:14
neighborhoods like Sweet Auburn once the
6:16
epicenter of black businesses continue
6:18
to inspire entrepreneurship the city of
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Atlanta which is the capital city of
6:22
Georgia has a population of
6:25
51,000 while the greater metro area has
6:28
a population of 6.3 million Atlanta has
6:31
seen a lot of growth in the last decade
6:34
with some complaining of the horrible
6:36
traffic and overcrowded as of 2020 black
6:39
residents make up 47% of the city of
6:42
Atlanta but the percentage was as high
6:44
as 61% back in 2000 as other races move
6:48
into the city in higher numbers the
6:50
black percentage has been dwindling
6:52
nonetheless Atlanta still of course is a
6:54
black City Atlanta's political scene
6:56
also reflects its status as a black
6:58
Mecca leader like Stacy Abrams and
7:01
Raphael War exemplify the city's
7:03
commitment to progress and
7:05
representation furthermore Atlanta
7:07
remains a magnet for young professionals
7:09
artists and activists drawn by its Rich
7:11
history and opportunity and let's not
7:14
forget that Atlanta is a huge economic
7:16
Powerhouse outside of the Black Culture
7:18
Fortune Magazine recently ranked the
7:20
Atlanta metro area as the eighth Metro
7:22
in the US with the highest concentration
7:25
of Fortune 500 companies there are
7:27
currently 16 Fortune 500 companies
7:30
headquartered in the Atlanta area Like
7:33
Home Depot Delta Airlines Coca-Cola and
7:36
UPS despite its success Atlanta faces
7:39
ongoing challenges including income
7:41
inequality and gentrification many black
7:43
residents have been displaced as
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neighborhoods undergo Redevelopment
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addressing these issues while preserving
7:49
the city's cultural heritage is a
7:51
critical task for Atlanta's leaders
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Atlanta's Journey from a railroad
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Terminus to a thriving black Mecca is a
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testament to the resilience and
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Ingenuity of its residents rooted in a
8:03
history of struggle and Triumph the city
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has become a symbol of black excellence
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and empowerment as Atlanta continues to
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evolve its Legacy as a cultural economic
8:13
and political hub for African-Americans
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remain steadfast inspiring generations
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to come well I hope you learned
8:19
something about Atlanta in this video
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don't forget to like And subscribe and
8:23
we'll see you on the next one
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