Sarah Dylla

Atlanta’s Paralympic Games represent many significant benchmarks for Paralympic and disability history.

In advance of the 1996 Olympic Games, organizers in Atlanta worked to harness the power of new technologies to showcase the city as cutting edge and progressive—just as many host cities before them had done.

One of the 1996 Olympic Games’ polarizing feat of technology and design was the ‘96 Games’ mascot: Izzy.

The story of any Olympic Games includes the efforts of civic activism on the part of residents of the host city. Atlanta was no different.

Though today’s Olympic Games promote excellence in sport, that hasn’t always been the case. In the early 20th century, participants could win gold medals for art and literature alongside their athletic counterparts.

During the Olympic Games, hosts invite the world into their cities. But what happens after the world leaves and at what cost to the community?

The 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games presented Atlanta with a unique design opportunity. Designers needed to create a system that highlighted the history and culture of the American South while showcasing the host city. They also needed to develop an identity that commemorated the 100^th anniversary, or centennial, of the modern Olympic Games. Atlanta wasn’t just the host city—it was the city of the century.

During the summer of 1996, Atlanta hosted the Centennial Olympic Games and the 10th Paralympic Games. It all started with a bid.