Atlanta: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Born as a railroad junction in 1837, Atlanta became a major Confederate transportation and munitions center for General William T Sherman, whose Union forces blazed through Georgia in 1864. Much of the city crumbled in the siege, and it worsened when retreating Confederates, not wanting the Yankees to get their cache, blew up their own ammunition. Sherman's army stayed in Atlanta for 10 weeks. When they left they burned everything, leaving more than 90% of Atlanta's buildings in ruins. After the war, Atlanta became the epitome of the 'New South', a concept that entailed reconciliation with the North, the promotion of industrialized agriculture, and a progressive business outlook. Atlanta's relentless boosterism led to civic improvements and energetic business partnerships. Separate black and white societies developed and segregation deepened.

Modern History

Public sit-ins and demonstrations in the early 1960s, led by Atlanta native Martin Luther King Jr, finally prompted city business leaders to sign a joint agreement to desegregate. Unlike in other cities where desegregation was slow and wrought with tension, Atlanta adjusted relatively painlessly. President John F Kennedy lauded this transition as a model for other communities facing integration.

Recent History

Atlanta's century of boosterism culminated when it hosted the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Atlanta put on her prettiest dress and CNN beamed her picture worldwide. People took notice, the moving trucks came rolling down the freeways and, like summer weeds, new condos sprouted everywhere.

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