Culture and Society

Atlanta Negro Voters League: Strength in Unity explores the history and legacy of the grassroots voting rights organization that influenced Atlanta elections from 1949 to 1965.

During November and December Smith Farm and Wood Cabin will be activated with additional activities for families visiting during the holiday season.

Author of Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking, Revised and Updated  Virginia Willis shares a delicious recipe with us in anticipation of her upcoming Author Talk on October 15.

Party with the Past is a program series that travels to historic sites around the city. On Wednesday, September 18^th, we head to Concordia Hall in Downtown Atlanta. This event features a temporary exhibit that dives into the history of the rest of the neighborhood, walking tours, and more.

An East Point institution, Atlanta Utility Works is a machine shop turned event space that has served the Tri-Cities area for over a century. To get you ready for Party with the Past, we uncovered the history of Atlanta Utility Works and its role in the community that surrounded it.

Explore Elizabeth McDuffie’s journey from personal cook and maid for the Inman family and President Franklin Roosevelt to a civil rights advocate. Known for her ambition, she was considered for the role of Mammy in “Gone with the Wind.” Despite not getting the role, McDuffie championed equal rights and workers’ rights for African Americans.

American barbecue’s origins are deeply rooted in Black and Indigenous American culinary traditions. Indigenous peoples used open fire pits for cooking for over 10,000 years, and the term “barbecue” evolved from the Taino and West African words “brabacot” and “babbake.” Despite modern associations with suburban men, barbecue spread across the U.S. through migration and has diverse regional styles.

As part of our Civic Season programming, we break down the origins and cultural significance of the regional divides in barbecue.

The Lost Friends Database compiles ads from the Southwestern Christian Advocate newspaper, where African Americans searched for family members separated by the domestic slave trade. Including ads referencing Atlanta, this database highlights the city’s role in this period. These ads provide a poignant glimpse into personal stories of separation and efforts to reconnect families.

Explore the rich heritage of African American cuisine, from the enduring traditions of West African dishes to the culinary innovations of enslaved chefs like James Hemings. Learn how iconic foods like cala, macaroni and cheese, and bean pie symbolize resilience, cultural preservation, and the profound impact of Black chefs on American culinary history, celebrated through generations.

With funds from the Digital Library of Georgia, Atlanta History Center has digitized 213 more recordings from the John Burrison Georgia Folklore Collection. Read more about what’s in some of these fascinating interviews.

Join La’Neice Littleton, Ph.D., historian and Director of Community Collaborations, for an exploration of people, places, and events in Atlanta’s Black history.

Learn about the tribes of the southeast, the Georgia frontier, and the details of historic preservation at the Wood Cabin.