Most everyone knows that February is Black History Month. But ironically, many do not know the history of this annual month-long celebration honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. Well, the story begins in 1915, half a century after the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. That fall, the Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and the prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other people of African descent. Now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), the group sponsored a national “Negro History Week” in 1926, selecting the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
In the years that followed, mayors of cities across the United States began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing “Negro History Week.” By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, “Negro History Week” had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses. And in 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more.
While this year’s celebration of Black History Month may be coming to a close, there are plenty of ways to continue learning about and celebrating Black History and culture in Atlanta all year long. So no matter what month it is, take the opportunity to honor and acknowledge Black contributions by visiting some of our city’s – and our nation’s – most important historical sites, landmarks and museums, and learn more about Atlanta’s rich history and role in the fight for civil rights.
- Apex Museum – The APEX (African American Panoramic Experience) Museum is located in the historic Sweet Auburn district of downtown Atlanta. The museum is devoted entirely to African American history as a means of promoting cultural awareness and the social contributions of African Americans in Georgia. It features artifacts, photographs, children’s shows, presentations and more, all related to African American culture, past and present.
- Sweet Auburn Historic District – Learn about Atlanta’s civil rights history with a visit to the city’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood. Located just east of downtown, Auburn Avenue is the centerpiece of Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Historic District and was once at the heart of Atlanta’s African American community. It was one of the nation’s foremost Black business districts and one of the wealthiest too, developed from the late 19th century into the early 20th century in response to the exclusion and discrimination encountered by African Americans in Atlanta’s other, white-dominated business and residential areas. From the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, guests and locals alike can spend a full day exploring this historic area.
- Herndon Home Museum – The Herndon Home Museum is a National Historic Landmark and the only privately owned African American house museum in the country. Walk through the 1910 mansion and learn about Georgia’s first Black millionaire. From Alonzo Herndon’s rise from slavery to leadership in the Black business community, the Herndon Home Museum is a unique resource of local and national significance in the interpretation of Black struggle and achievement.
- The King Center – Established in 1968 by Mrs. Coretta Scott King, The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”) has been a global destination, resource center and community institution for over a quarter century. It contains an outdoor memorial with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King’s crypt, surrounded by reflecting pools and an eternal flame. A walkway leads visitors into Freedom Hall, where art from Africa and Georgia is displayed in the Grand Foyer, and special programs are held inside the large theater/auditorium. Nearly a million people each year make the pilgrimage to the National Historic Site to learn, be inspired and pay their respects to Dr. King’s legacy.
- Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park – Encompassing nearly 35 acres, the family-friendly and free Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park is composed of landmarks, monuments and exhibits, including Dr. King’s boyhood home, the original Ebenezer Baptist Church and The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (“The King Center”). Visit and take a journey through the civil rights struggles as well as the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- National Center for Civil and Human Rights – The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, which opened in 2014, is a museum and human rights organization in Atlanta that inspires people to tap their own power to change the world around them. It pays homage to the American civil rights movement and brings current global human rights issues to the forefront. The Center’s iconic exhibitions feature the papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the history of the civil rights movement in the United States and stories from the struggle for human rights around the world today. It is a perfect starting point for exploring Atlanta’s history in civil and human rights.
- Oakland Cemetery – Atlanta’s oldest public park, Oakland Cemetery is where slave owners and slaves share the same burial space. From 1852 through the late 1860s, African Americans in Atlanta were buried in a segregated section at Oakland Cemetery. This area was located at the northeast corner of the original six acres of the cemetery. Most, though not all, of the African Americans buried in this section were enslaved, and it came to be known as “Slave Square.” After the Civil War, African Americans could buy burial plots at the rear of the cemetery in a newly opened segregated burial ground. More than 12,000 African Americans are listed in Oakland’s burial records, including the men, women, and children of Slave Square, now known as “Potter’s Field,” as well as some of Atlanta’s Black history pioneers.
- South-View Cemetery – The oldest African American “non-eleemosynary” corporation in the country, South-View Cemetery is the final resting place for over 80,000 African Americans, many of whom have made significant contributions to American history and the struggle for freedom and peace. Among the many notables are men and women who were scholars, business owners, pastors, professors, military heroes, musicians, athletes and civil rights activists. Two of the cemetery’s most famous residents are Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Benjamin Mays. Both men were laid to rest at South-View before being moved to the Martin Luther King Center and Morehouse College respectively.
- Atlanta History Center – An all-inclusive 33-acre destination, the Atlanta History Center is home to the Atlanta History Museum – one of the Southeast’s largest history museums, as well as four historic houses, Cyclorama: The Big Picture – one of only two cycloramas in the United States, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, the Kenan Research Center, gardens, wildlife trails and much more. Known for bringing history to life, it features exhibitions on the Civil War, African American heritage and Southern folk art, with a wing dedicated to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
- Noble-Hill Wheeler Memorial Center – If you are up for a little drive, visit the Noble Hill-Wheeler Memorial Center in Cassville, Georgia. This restored Rosenwald School was built in 1923 to standard specifications and was the first school for Black children in Northwest Georgia. Closed in 1955 when Black children in Bartow County were consolidated to form the Bartow Elementary School, it was restored in 1989, and the building now serves as a Black cultural museum that features historical aspects of Black culture in Bartow County, with the primary focus being on lifestyles dating back to the late 1800s.
- Atlanta University Center Historic District – Designated a National Historic District, this sprawling six-campus university is the largest concentration of African American colleges in America. Including four institutions prominent in the civil rights movement – Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and West Hunter Street Baptist Church, they boast an alumni roster that includes: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the gold medal Olympic hurdler Edwin Moses; authors (Alice Walker, Pearl Cleage and James Weldon Johnson); theatrical artists (Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson), and politicians (Maynard H. Jackson and Julian Bond). Located in Atlanta’s West End, this center of African American educational excellence is not to be missed.