1942-62
Summarize events of this time period based on the details contained below
1945
Poll taxes for voting in Georgia elections repealed by Georgia legislature (Senate 31-19, House 141-51) and signed into law Feb. 5th by Governor Ellis Arnold*
Novotny, Patrick (2007). This Georgia Rising: Education, Civil Rights, and the Politics of Change in Georgia in The 1940s. Mercer University Press. pp. 150–. ISBN 9780881460889. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
1946
White primaries end in Georgia*
In the same year Efforts of NAACP, National Urban League and Atlanta Negro Voters League raised the number of black voters in Fulton County from 6,786 to 21,224
*King v. Chapman 154 F.2d 460 (1946) challenged a 5th Cir. ruling that Georgia white primaries differed from the laws of white primaries found unconstitutional on a national basis in the Texas case of Smith v. Allwright 321 U.S. 649 (1944). Georgia claimed to be exempt to this bar on poll taxes as a it only applied to State entities and the democratic party in Georgia claimed to be a private entity. The Supreme Court refused to take up the appeal after it was affirmed in the 5th Cir. Court of appeals.
https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/primus-e-king-1900-1986/
1949
Wagner Ellender-Taft Act[1] – Under the Truman administration the Federal government allotted funds for the development of large scale low-income public housing projects and “urban redevelopment."
– Title I funds from the Act provided funds for clearing the land but did not dictate what should be done with the land after clearing, allowing the city to sell to private developers. Title III of the act made funds available for public housing.
[1] Housing Act of 1949, Public Law no. 81‐171, section 101. (Title I of the act empowered cities to use eminent domain to clear slums requiring the city to employ: “Feasible method[s] for the temporary relocation of families displaced from the project area and the permanent provision of decent dwellings at prices and rents within the financial means of such families”
1950
"Hemphill Urban Renewal Project" planned*
*Williams, Rebecca M., Federal Financing of Urban Renewal with Special Emphasis on Atlanta, Georgia (1959) – Thesis Submitted to Atlanta university in partial Fulfillment of MBA. April 1 2022. (file:///Users/robertevans/Downloads/OBJ%20Datastream%20(1).pdf)
1951
"McDaniel Urban Renewal Project" Planning begins*
*Williams, Rebecca M., Federal Financing of Urban Renewal with Special Emphasis on Atlanta, Georgia (1959) – Thesis Submitted to Atlanta university in partial Fulfillment of MBA. April 1 2022. (file:///Users/robertevans/Downloads/OBJ%20Datastream%20(1).pdf)
1952
Atlanta’s annual Plan of Improvement was executed and annexed 82sq miles to the city limits of Atlanta including 100,000 citizens (largely northern white suburbs)—this was part of Hartsfield’s plan to increase city tax revenue and aid in efforts to revitalize downtown.
Planning completed on "McDaniel Urban Renewal Project"*
*Williams, Rebecca M., Federal Financing of Urban Renewal with Special Emphasis on Atlanta, Georgia (1959) – Thesis Submitted to Atlanta university in partial Fulfillment of MBA. April 1 2022. (file:///Users/robertevans/Downloads/OBJ%20Datastream%20(1).pdf)
1953
George Washington Carver homes (segregated Black) – Built near former Black amusement park called “Joyland”*
The election of this year lead to the first election of a Black public official in Atlanta since 1870 -- Dr. Rufus E. Clement (president of Atlanta University) was elected to Board of education for 3rd ward and signaled a new age of Atlanta politics by defeating a long term incumbent by 10,000 votes. The power of the Black vote shown strong in this election and two other Black men were also elected from 3rd ward to the City Executive Committee, A.T. Walton and Dr. Miles Amons.**
Court decision throwing out Urban renewal projects planned for Hemphill, McDaniel projects – urban renewal declared illegal in Georgia[1] ---NEED MORE INFO ON THIS
[1] file:///Users/robertevans/Downloads/OBJ%20Datastream%20(1).pdf
*"Joyland" was in operation from 1921-1952, it was located on South Pryor Road ~1/4 mile north of Lakewood. In 1952 it was demolished and a neighborhood called Joyland was built and as of 2022 many of those small homes remain around the Langford Park. The area is set for rapid change though due to its close proximity to the southern segment of the Beltline Trail.
https://www.ajc.com/news/local/exploring-atlanta-lost-amusement-parks/4W5YieExRcGORgS75MUkSN/
1954
Housing Act of 1954 -- for the first time language of “urban renewal" surfaced in federal legislation – under this act’s Workable program Atlanta agreed to enforce all federal mandated “housing standards” prior to receiving federal funding.
Perry Homes built
State Constitution amended to make "Urban Renewal" legal in Georgia -- Overturning court case from the year before which threatened the progress of Hemphill, McDaniel urban renewal projects
1955
City of Atlanta delegated its “redevelopment powers” to the AHA and began the “Urban Renewal Program” – meaning that Federal funds were utilized primarily to clear the neighborhoods targeted for "renewal" under the administration of the AHA.
This delegation of the City's powers was necessary to satisfy the amended Georgia constitution and allow for earlier prohibited "urban renewal"
1957
Harris Homes built (white segregated) but built near black community (which one??) so was known for chronically experiencing higher vacancies than other white segregated housing projects. [cite]
Atlanta’s annual Workable Program included housing code for the first time.
Planners in the City's Workable Program report for this year estimated that urban renewal and expressway clearance would result in 11,873 black families losing their homes[1]
[1]Workable Program, 1957, Atlanta Bureau of Planning Papers, Atlanta History Center Archives. A September 1966 study suggests that the projected figure was underestimated. Eric Hill Associates calculated that nearly 67,000 persons were forced to move for either the freeway or for urban renewal. Eric Hill Associates, “City of Atlanta, Georgia, Report on the Relocation of Individuals, Families, and Businesses: Atlanta Community Improvement Program,” September 1966, in Stone, Economic Growth and Neighborhood Discontent, 3.
1958
Atlanta chapter of the NAACP released resolution asking federal administrative officials at to deny approval of the first three planned "Urban renewal" sites (Butler Street, Rawson-Washington and Atlanta University)
The city moves forward with preliminary planning on two more "urban renewal" Projects (Rockdale and Thomasville)
1959
"Rawson-Washington Urban Renewal Project" entered execution phase -- 353 acres cleared at a cost of 13.1 million – cleared land used to build the "Atlanta Stadium" (the land later used for Fulton County stadium, Turner Field and now Center Park Stadium), along with a 405 unit motel (NAME??), 650 unit housing project (WHICH ONE??) the 192 unit MLK village and an elementary school (NAME??) – project finished in 1973 and was completed through the “interim assistance program”[1]
Butler Street Urban Renewal Project entered execution phase – 1261 individuals and 103 businesses displaced [2]
[1] Rawson-Washington Urban Renewal records. -- 1961-1967 and undated. Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta Housing Archives, The Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta.
[2]“December 1967 Status Report on Urban Renewal Programs,” 2. WBH Papers, Series V, Box 40, Folder 14, MARBLE, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
1960
Land clearing in the "Rawson-Washington" and "Atlanta University" Urban Renewal Projects begins -- 2,131 individuals and 154 businesses displaced collectively [1]
Atlanta Housing code updated to require all dwellings to have flush toilets and kitchen sinks[2]
[1]“December 1967 Status Report on Urban Renewal Programs,” 2. WBH Papers, Series V, Box 40, Folder 14, MARBLE, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.
{2] Ed Hughes, “Profits from Poverty: Housing Code Unenforced,” Atlanta Journal, 19 May 1959.
1962
After 23 years and a total of seven terms Mayor Hartsfield announces he will not seek reelection.
His success in Atlanta politics has been directly linked to his ability to engage with and maintain the Black vote of the city. He never received a majority white vote after 1945 and in 1949 made active efforts to align himself with the Black vote through direct collaborations with Black lead organizations in Atlanta.[1]
[1]Atlanta Journal, 7 June 1960.