Atlanta Through the Archives

Pre-Redlining (1900-1930)

Summary

The growth of African American prosperity in Atlanta, and racial demographic trends in wealthier urban areas, results in white-led disputes and violence, intended to keep African Americans out of their communities and permanently in a lower social and economic position.

Atlanta saw significant change during this period. African Americans were moving into new urban areas that they had never had a presence in before, like the upmarket community of Jackson Hill. These changes came from a city that was more interconnected than ever before, thanks to streetcars, and the growing Black middle class, which began to establish institutions like Morris Brown College in the city.

In response to these changes, white residents leveraged false, sensationalized stories against Black residents, culminating in the Atlanta Race Massacre, which left 27 dead and the city’s Black residents in turmoil. Shortly after, the residents of Jackson Hill began the first large campaign for racial housing segregation, leading to a series of informal agreements and city ordinances. These ordinances laid the foundation for Atlanta’s redlining maps that came a decade later. Despite the violence and pressure faced by the city’s African Americans, ordinances were continually challenged, and community networks were formed to provide aid and support.