black mecca series intro

Is Atlanta still America’s Black mecca? This native isn’t so sure

A new monthly content series from UATL wants to explore that question.
(Philip Robibero / AJC illustration)
March 23, 2025

I didn’t want to be that guy.

Last spring, my mom asked me to join her and one of my cousins for lunch. My cousin was with her husband. They’re like a Black power couple. Both in their 30s. Her, a nurse, and him, an engineer. They were in town from Dallas.

sraey htiw yeht ereht rieht rieht deklat demees gnisiar dellup krop srettalp efil ni ni .emoh .lrig rof tnerruc tnetnoc teksirb neeb ybab ta dna dna tuoba tuoba d’yehT saxeT revO ,tsruhkaO s’droF QBB 11

eW“ ot ot :semit eht os deen ynam enil draeh teg emac nehT ev’I ”.atnaltA

htiw htiw ,saw saw detnarraw detnaw .stnalpsnart ot yeht ereht eht lacitpeks rewohs ydaer noitseuq ,esiarp laitnetop ,evitan ym ekil rof pu-wollof od ytic tub yna a I llA

yhW“ ”?atnaltA

skool“ ,gnuoy htiw detnaw detnaw ot ot siht rieht rieht eht taht naht deklat lufsseccus ecaps laicos os ehs derahs .dias esiar fo fo gnivom gnivil denetsil .efil tsuj esuoh gniworg sleef .ylimaf ylimaf detacude smaerd tsoc ytic repaehc retteb gnieb sa dna dna na elbadroffa tuoba a a yehT yehT yehT I .sallaD ”,kcalB kcalB

etihw yeht rieht eht eht taht stnediser stsisrep driht-eno fo naidem sdael wonk si ,ytilauqeni emocni emocni ni gnisuoh dlohesuoh sflug rof yrtnuoc ?strapretnuoc dna elbadroffa diD kcalB atnaltA

dlot taht llams .srehto fo ni reh morf rof ylimaf yreve .sruenerpertne denrae nrae nisuoc semoc stnec yb sessenisub lla a yM I kcalB atnaltA 71 1$

nemow erew erew gnikniht yeht yeht rieht eht eht taht taht etats emos setar ytrevop nosrep tuo fo fo ?ediwnoitan ytilatrom lanretam gnikam ?emitefil ,dik ti otni ni ni tsehgih gnivah sah sah tcaf ecnahc nrob erawa rehtona gnoma tuoba tuoba a a fI woH kcalB atnaltA %4

Members of the Morehouse class of 2023 sing their college anthem during the Morehouse College commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 21, 2023, on Century Campus in Atlanta. The graduation marked Morehouse College's 139th commencement program. (AJC 2023)

Credit: CHRISTINA MATACOTTA FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Members of the Morehouse class of 2023 sing their college anthem during the Morehouse College commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 21, 2023, on Century Campus in Atlanta. The graduation marked Morehouse College's 139th commencement program. (AJC 2023)

;sraey htiw s’ohw ohw ohw lausiv ;nwot dlot ot gniht meht eht eht eht eht tneduts yrots ;secruos emas par reeuq elpoep ym devom em ynam sedulcni ni .ereh evah morf morf rof dnif ylimaf revird smaerd ,nisuoc evitavresnoc gnisahc emac neeb tsitra dna na etihw-lla ecnatpecca tuoba a rebU tahT esuoheroM egelloC erofeB .atnaltA atnaltA 01

,raey hguorht siht ereht eht retroper .esarhp revo fo koobeton ym .snoitnem tol tsael tsal sweivretni kni ni morf detcudnoc sraeb oidua ta era gnibmoC A 001

The performers CHE'ZEE attracted their share of fans performing on a park bench in Piedmont Park during the 36th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival on Sunday, May 26, 2013, in Atlanta.   (AJC 2013)

Credit: Atlanta Journal Constitution

The performers CHE'ZEE attracted their share of fans performing on a park bench in Piedmont Park during the 36th annual Atlanta Jazz Festival on Sunday, May 26, 2013, in Atlanta. (AJC 2013)

.dnatsrednu ot ot ot eht detrats gnihtemos wols lles ,nees ,dias .stnediser yllaer kciuq elpoep fo sdeen ekil tsuj sti sti si ,yllacirotsih leef yadyreve t’ndid erutluc ytic etarbelec tub tub dna tsomla sserdda a tahW ev’I tI kcalB kcalB

uoy ohw ot eht noitseuq tneserp ecalp ,tsap ro thgim ?accem erutuf eb gniksa sa ma I kcalB s’atnaltA dnA

siht taht taht yas nur ,stoor tnediser der .evitcepsrep ,evitan ym ym ortem evol lacol tsuj tsilanruoj sti otni mrofni snoitartsurf rof secneirepxe peed tnerruc .yalc ytic sa aera dna dna dna a yM s’teL

,sraey krow ot eht eht eht htuos fo fo won smoorswen em ,enizagam del .emoh sah morf noitacude ,nwotnwod esruoc emac dellac .ybab dna dna dna a sloohcS gnilloR cilbuP ,stnioP ,kraP ,kraP .aiediaP revO ,tuO sdoowhtroN yM yM ,edisgninroM ,irossetnoM ,nwotdiM ,gnifaoL elttiL ekaL ev’I m’I namnI ,slliH lliH tnarG eviF tsaE diurD ,rutaceD ,blaKeD blaKeD evitaerC gnoL-drofwarC ytnuoC yrrebeltsaC latipaC ,yponaC ,NNC B atnaltA .CJA 04 4891

raey gnitirw owt eht eht eht tneps gnipahs secalp ,elpoep tsap eno fo ym stnemom gnivil ni ni .nwotemoh noitpecxe sedaced dna dna tuoba htiW ev’I ,ogacihC kcalB

— — — htiw ohw straw yrev siht eht eht eht seirots ffats gnirahs tas daer ruo no fo fo repapswen ym gninrom denrael etal dik ecnatropmi emoh remrof rof rehtaf yreve hcuoc ytic yenrotta dna dna .lla tuoba a a I atnaltA sA

deirt ot .taht relletyrots tsuj morf od syawla a ev’I kcalB gnieB ,atnaltA

retaw“ ”,kizumcallidacitsilayalprehtuoS“ .krow htiw skeew eht eht seirots gnidneps ecnacifingis gnitroper ro fo decnaun ym erom s’ti otni lacirotsih gnivig sevird gniggid ”,syob rehtehW s’tsaKtuO kcalB

kcalB“ saw eht eht eht eht taht taht mret os stoor ,hcraeser tliuber rewop liviC-tsop lacitilop ecalp ym ,ytilibom ”accem ,flesti sti ti otni ni aedi sah gniworg dnuof rof did .ytivitaerc ytic dna a raW hguorhT .htuoS I kcalB sA

Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first Black mayor, receives a love pat on the face from his mother. (AJC FILE)

Credit: AJC Staff

Maynard Jackson, Atlanta's first Black mayor, receives a love pat on the face from his mother. (AJC FILE)

htiw htiw tnew saw .yadot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht dednuober noitseuq no fo ,cisum sredrum accem ,royam ti si otni ni ni tog tsrif mlif dedolpxe retnecipe tnemniatretne noitcele gnirud ytic dlihc dellac gnidnarb tsoob emoceb sa dna dna a ehT scipmylO dranyaM .noskcaJ tI tI kcalB kcalB s’atnaltA atnaltA 6991 .s0891 3791

yhw eht noitseuq ecalp ?won accem sa ,oS kcalB s’atnaltA

— — .raey raey lliw lliw lliw ,tiaw etov ot ot eerht yeht s’ereht eht eht eht tes stnediser ,elpoep revo ?tuo rehto ro ,eno fo ylraen :erom noillim .accem ,royam tfel tsael tsuj s’ti ni ebolg .sgig lluf rof sklof eritne noitcele sedaced laicurc civic hsac gnirb eb ta dna dna na na retfa dlroW cipmylO nI semaG roF puC licnuoC ytiC tuB kcalB kcalB atnaltA erA 6202 6991 005$

I“ ,raey htiw hcihw nehw tnaw koot ot ot eht eht taht taht dias noitceleer ecalp .hctip fo txen tsuj ti stih sih neppah denoitcnuf erusne gnirud t’nseod tub ta sa launna dna osla ,sserdda a dlroW etatS htnoM royaM yrotsiH snekciD puC ytiC kcalB ”,atnaltA ,atnaltA atnaltA erdnA

Mayor Andre Dickens is all smiles reacting during the Host City announcement press conference for the 2026 World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Atlanta.  (AJC 2022)

Credit: Curtis Compton / Curtis.Compton@

Mayor Andre Dickens is all smiles reacting during the Host City announcement press conference for the 2026 World Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Atlanta. (AJC 2022)

ruoy dlrow htiw tslihw tahw pu gniyrt ot ot ydit eht eht eht .gnigats .tfihs tes cimsies ,tsap fo stnemom enotselim ortem rojam sti gnitivni esuoh tnorf rof rof rood semoc aera era rehtona dna ekiL s’tI kcalB atnaltA

htiw eht ,retroper evitan ym lacol gnipeek .boj tsenoh nwotemoh semoc dna a sA

— — ot siht eht eht ffats noitseuq desimorp ecalp nosrep .elpoep ro ro ton dnal otni ni taerg rof tsrif neve llac sa osla adnakaW ,zO m’I kcalB s’atnaltA atnaltA CJA

kcalB“ krow naht tup desimorp ssergorp ,eceip yltcefrep ym erom accem ”.dnal ti ni ni reh eugaelloc a a enohR ardeN nI ,3202

tahT“ gnivaeL“ sraey .etorw rednu desserddanu eurt ot esoht ereht eht eht taht larutcurts tneps gnihtemos elgnis ehs gnihcraes syas smelborp rewop evisavrep elpoep emocrevo detarepo reven tsum ”.accem accem snaem yam tsuj ti ”,seitilauqeni noisulli woh evah evah sah rof evisule ytic .eb eb tuoba a a a kcalB kcalB kcalB kcalB snaciremA 001

Eve Mayo, a nine-year resident of Forest at Columbia Apartments holds a “housing is a human right” sign during a rally outside of the DeKalb Government Building on Thursday, July 28, 2022. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2022)

Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@ajc.com

Eve Mayo, a nine-year resident of Forest at Columbia Apartments holds a “housing is a human right” sign during a rally outside of the DeKalb Government Building on Thursday, July 28, 2022. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2022)

woH“ htiw pu ,deltit eht eht eht sklat laicar eceip ni reh gniworg selpparg gniralg .spag rof gnirud s’ytic ytic dna tuoba a ztliW ztliW asereT ”,ezingoceR ocitiloP nI I ytiC emaceB yleraB atnaltA .s0891 s0791

tuB“ atnaltA“ kcalB‘ .etorw htiw ,syaw ,yadot eht eht ”.tsisrep edistuo fo ”,tnemevom ynam sti sti ,si seitiuqeni ni lacirotsih peed retnec ,elbbub eigruob dna a ztliW ’,acceM snoisnaMcM kcalB ,sremaeB

ehT“ mohw eht eht eht eht eht naht sklat ralohcs gninoitseuq seitiroirp tnediserp elpoep no fo fo fo fo .sredrum erom ,pihsredael sti ni sih eh remrof desucof gnirud s’ytic dlihc gnidnarb ,koob gnieb dna desucca tuoba nrehtuoS scitiloP nredoM :acceM eciruaM gnikaM yrewoL dnegeL pihsredaeL hpesoJ nI nosboH ecnerefnoC ssalC naitsirhC kcalB kcalB s’atnaltA ”,atnaltA atnaltA 7102

tuohguorht emeht .hcraeser a s’tI s’nosboH

htiW“ .etorw dlrow htiw elihw erew saw eht eht taht deipuccoerp sti ti ti ni gniworg gnisihcnarf rof cimonoce ,desihcnarfnesid tnempoleved ,dezinomed dezilanimirc ,noitpmusnoc raelc s’ytic ytic ”,snezitic dna srotartsinimda nosboH ,atnaltA

uoy .gnorw eurt ot eht llet llits yas emas stnediser thgim ti si ni riaf ,tcaf .dab t’nera dna lla t’nia ztliW ,enohR s’tI nI ,revewoH nosboH .5202

ot eht eht taht trats ecalp deton denoitnem ti .sreyubemoh sih rof ytic dellac .ssenisub tseb tseb gnieb osla ,sserdda a nI eH esirpretnE snekciD kcalB kcalB atnaltA

emocleW“ saw gniklaw ot ot ot .enorht eht taht llits rednimer tuo tesno syal s’poh-pih mialc ta dna a ’sircaduL eniamreJ irpuD snekciD ”atnaltA atnaltA

tsaf“ .raey htiw erehw yrev seitisrevinu eht eht eht eht naht ”.hcet degrus ecudorp ecalp .cimednap renwo rehto noitazinagro eno ecno fo rebmun swen accem tsael ni ni tcapmi yllacirotsih rof yreve eeyolpme cimonoce debbud segelloc ytic sessenisub noillib gnimoceb ta sa dna retfa a a sihT s’tI denwo-kcalB kcalB s’atnaltA snaciremA nacirfA 1.1$

Panelists discuss the state of Atlanta's black K-12 and college computer science and gaming community at the annual State of the Atlanta Black Tech Ecosystem on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC 2024)

Credit: Olivia Bowdoin

Panelists discuss the state of Atlanta's black K-12 and college computer science and gaming community at the annual State of the Atlanta Black Tech Ecosystem on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. (Olivia Bowdoin for the AJC 2024)

esoht eseht eht eht llet yrots secaps ?stniop secalp ,elpoep fo sthgilhgih lluf atad dniheb dna lla tuoba oD

:atnaltA“ — — lliw siht eht eht dehs ,seires gnitroper ytilaer .noitseuq ruo lanigiro no )egarim thgil esihcnarf erutluc srotubirtnoc dniheb dna LTAU hguorhT ”?acceM kcalB kcalB s’aciremA s’CJA ro(

rehtehw ot eht eht eht ,stneduts llits tneserp ,tsap rehto accem accem ti si otni ni sah ?erutuf ,rof rof ,seilimaf te ,sruenerpertne seod gid ,sevitaerc erapmoc ,ytinummoc egelloc ?seitic ,sfehc neeb dna .la a ohW ll’eW QTBGL woH kcalB kcalB atnaltA atnaltA

Rene Wright works accommodating items at her shop call Demanding Love Pure Heat Community Festival organized by Atlanta Black Pride at Piedmont Park on Sep. 3, 2023. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2023)

Credit: Miguel Martinez

Rene Wright works accommodating items at her shop call Demanding Love Pure Heat Community Festival organized by Atlanta Black Pride at Piedmont Park on Sep. 3, 2023. (Miguel Martinez/AJC 2023)

htiw lliw ohw ew seciov .stnalpsnart ot eht eht maet gnilletyrots erahs seires thgir ezitiroirp nevird-elpoep etanoissap s’repap ruo ylno fo fo evol slacol lacol hcnual egdelwonk ,dik stsilanruoj ti nwotemoh rof sleef peed -atad ,srotubirtnoc .ytic dna dna dna dna osla a a a hguorhT kcalB sA

:atnaltA“ lliw soediv esoht siht gnillet .seirots ,seirots ,noitseuq gnimmargorp tneserp ,sotohp no ,htnom hcae deretnec dna htiW ”?acceM kcalB s’aciremA

.uoy ew tnaw ot os dluohs raeh morf ,noitasrevnoc eb osla a sihT

kcalB“ — — ruoy uoy aiv su pu .moc.cja@ltau ot ot eht taht sseccus ,seirots kaeps laicos erahs ,snoitseuq ro no ”.accem efil etivni ni ,seruliaf secneirepxe liame segnellahc ta dna eW tiH ltausti@

.rehtegot siht llet yrots s’teL


siht seirots ruo rehto fo rettelswen erom pihsrebmem rebmem ekil ni eerf rof .stifeneb dna a LTAU emoceB

no no dna ,X LTAU koTkiT .margatsnI wolloF ,koobecaF

About the Author

Gavin Godfrey is a senior reporter for the AJC who covers Black culture, entertainment, and diversity. He's an award-winning writer and editor from Atlanta who's covered everything from OutKast to the water boys. Before joining the AJC, Gavin worked for Capital B Atlanta, CNN, and Creative Loafing.