Named after john wesley dobbs because of his strong belief in bucks, ballots and books as a means to a way out of the social conditions of his era. Oct 24, 2018 explore the rich history of auburn avenue and the impact it had on black atlantans. The onestory redbrick building, located at 333 auburn avenue, officially opened july 25, 1921, becoming atlantas. Duffy also has ties to history through her sister, a lawyer and. Nov 16, 2018 for keeps, a shop for rare and classic black books, opens on auburn avenue.
The auburn avenue research library on african american culture and history is a special library within the atlantafulton public library system, located in atlantas sweet auburn historic district. Just down the street, the neighboring auburn avenue research library also has exhibits on african american culture and history, including one on the life and legacy of writer toni morrison. Pomerantz has traced the history of the city, and the development of race. For keeps, a shop for rare and classic black books, opens on. The sweet auburn heritage festival is an annual festival held the first weekend in october on auburn avenue.
The author was extremely detailed in his account which included much of. Boil the sweet potatoes for 40 to 50 minutes, or until tender. They have so many amazing events and their art galleries are awesome. Upi teletype machine from the atlanta daily world, 1940. Some of the librarys collection traces its roots to the negro history collection of noncirculating books that was first organized in 1934.
Atlantas for keeps bookstore owner says sweet auburn spot. National park site and auburn avenue historical district paperback january 1, 2004 by carol ash author. The sweet auburn curb market the history of our streets. Auburn avenues longawaited history, cultural project moving. Explore sweet auburn neighborhood in downtown atlanta, georgia. This book traces the development of black political leadership in atlanta from. Sweet auburn works window speak project displayed in. Uncover the incidents of the hebrew temple bombings and explore why these locations were targets of attack and the resiliency of the movement to persevere through ongoing threats. As the naacp and local votingrights organizations, from their sweet auburn offices, lobbied state and local governments for an end to segregation, and as native son martin luther king jr.
For more information contact the friends of sweet auburn. Visit the apex museum, which presents our nations history through the eyes of africanamericans. Sweet auburn celebrates the annual auburn springfest, and in the fall, the sweet auburn heritage festival. A guide to local favorites in sweet auburn the washington post. Sweet auburn historic district is located along auburn avenue, generally between courtland st. Mash the sweet potatoes in a bowl, set aside and allow them to cool completely. Auburn avenue research library on african american.
Concentrated along a short mile and a half of auburn avenue, the sweet auburn historic district reflects the history, heritage and achievements of atlantas. Atlantas auburn avenue research library auburn library. Because auburn avenues financial institutions amounted to a consolidation of african american wealth unique for its time, black atlantans referred to the street as sweet auburn. Atlantas for keeps bookstore owner says sweet auburn spot is. Where peachtree meets sweet auburn is a 624page history of a section of atlanta and four generations of 2 politically prominent atlanta families, one the allens white and one the dobbs black. Aug 07, 2007 atlanta if you stand in the middle of auburn avenue, outside the queen annestyle home in which the rev.
The area, known as sweet auburn, is home to ebenezer baptist church. Sweet auburn street of pride a pictorial history of the street fortune magazine in 1957 called the richest negro street in the world. The rise of auburn avenue as the black business district in atlanta was to a great extent an outcome of the 1906 atlanta race riot. In 1992, the national trust added sweet auburn to its list of americas 11 most endangered historic places. The aarl oral history collection is one of eight special collections housed in the. Hoke smith was able to spread his ideas in the atlanta journal because he was. Early civil rights challenges in georgia flashcards quizlet. Anchoring the west end of the sweet auburn h istoric district, the auburn avenue research library on african american culture and history opened may 1994 in atlanta. The auburn avenue research library is committed to preserving and making. His first book, where peachtree meets sweet auburn, was named a 1996 notable book of the year by the new york times. The street was paved in gold observed john wesley dobbs. There are also historic photos of the sweet auburn neighborhood and its african americanowned businesses. Sweet auburn historic district national trust for historic.
Where peachtree meets sweet auburn, the book, heads for. Auburn avenue research library on african american culture. First air conditioned building on auburn avenue to protect the school books. Reflects on the history of sweet auburn avenue duration. Roots to rights alternative spring break student affairs. The interviewees discuss personal background, social and economic conditions among the african american residents of sweet auburn, recollections of the riot of 1906. Sweet auburn walks is a curated walk to the history, art, food, and entertainment of the sweet auburn historic district starting at hilliard street.
Movers and pacers running club, 5th annual black history run on auburn avenue. The sweet auburn historic district is an important part of atlanta history because it enabled african americans to establish businesses, churches, and social organizations. The sweet auburn historic district is a historic africanamerican neighborhood along and surrounding auburn avenue, east of downtown atlanta, georgia, united states. Jan 09, 2020 atlantas home for rare and classic black books the owner, rosa duffy, wants it to represent the vastness of blackness and allow people to read about their history in a welcoming space. Where peachtree meets sweet auburn gary m pomerantz. A graduate of the university of california, berkeley, pomerantz lives.
Civil rights leader hosea williams founded the first festival in 1984. The sweet auburn curb market is a historic municipal market located at 209 edgewood ave. Excellent book about the history of the allen and dobbs family from atlanta, georgia. Rosa duffy designed the shop and reading room to be a place for people to interact with history that is often overlooked. Books auburn avenue research library on african american.
Prolog more financial institutions, professionals, educators, entertainers and politicians were on this one mile of street than any other african american street in the south. Pulled by common interests and pushed by increasingly restrictive segregation laws, it became the center of black opportunity, success, and social life in the south. The auburn avenue research library has more than 20,000 books and 600plus manuscript collections along with artifacts, recordings, oral histories, periodicals, 250,000 photographs and other items. Auburn avenue sweet auburn new georgia encyclopedia. At one point a businessman describes a meeting with mayor maynard jr. Constructing atlantas auburn avenue as a heritage tourist destination article pdf available in urban geography 315. Auburn avenue films, owned and operated by the jackson team, is developing the story for a television series. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Heres a guide to what to do and eat at sweet auburn. Sound recordings auburn avenue research library on african. The roots of rap and the history of hiphop have origins that precede dj. Decades before the auburn avenue research library opened, its core collection was formed at the auburn branch of the carnegie library of atlanta.
Yancey, his contributions to healthcare in atlanta, and the history of african american healthcare workers including dr. The leading the preservationbased resurgence, sweet auburn works is a communitydriven, economic development organization using innovative techniques to direct the revitalization in ways that are consistent with the avenues history, culture, legacy, and the currentday environment. The historic district dominated by auburn avenue, once known as the richest negro street in the world, spiraled into decline in the 1980s. Nov 06, 2015 the film maker, representatives from the southern foodways alliance, and vendors from the sweet auburn curb market will discuss the importance of the market to the city of atlanta. Overview the collection spans from 1938 to 2001, the bulk of which dates from ca. Explore the rich history of auburn avenue and the impact it had on black atlantans. This is a fitting tribute to the importance of the market past and present. Sweet auburn is one of the best places in the city to celebrate black history month each february. Auburn avenue research library on african american culture and. Atlantas for keeps bookstore owner says sweet auburn spot is no mistake. I attended the kwanzaa festival in december of 2019 it was an awesome family event the museum has so. King center king national historic site and preservation. Sweet auburn apex museum learn about the untold and lesserknown history of black atlanta through a roving selection of temporary and permanent exhibits in this intimate museum space.
Black owned book store in atlanta atlanta journalconstitution. In it, they trace the history of auburn avenue as a nexus of black culture and commerce. The 1885 edition of moses kings guide book, mount auburn cemetery, notes that on the left of central avenue, is a beautifully embellished octagonal building, with a stone platform and seats for visitors containing an excellent well of pure water. Where peachtree meets sweet auburn is a 624page history of a section of atlanta and.
Voyage to atlanta, ga and fill yourself with the passion and the emotion that once filled the streets of sweet auburn avenue. Pomerantz is an author and journalist and serves as a visiting lecturer in the department of communication at stanford university. The name sweet auburn was coined by john wesley dobbs, referring to the richest negro street in the world, one of the largest concentrations of africanamerican businesses in the united states. Buildings on auburn avenue in the sweet auburn historic. Overview the collection consists of oral history interviews and transcripts of interviews of residents and merchants in the sweet auburn neighborhood in atlanta, georgia in 1978. Walking tour maps are available through the atlanta convention and visitors bureau, 4042226688. A graduate of the university of california, berkeley, pomerantz lives in the san francisco bay area with his wife and their three children. A few weeks ago, i coled the movers and pacers running clubs annual black history month youth run on auburn avenue. One of more than 2,800 libraries built across the country with funding from american industrialist and philanthropist andrew carnegie 18351919, the red brick building at 333 auburn avenue.
A special library of the atlantafulton public library system afpls, it is the first public library in the southeast to offer specialized reference and archival collections dedicated to the study and research of african american. The onestory redbrick building, located at 333 auburn avenue, officially opened july 25, 1921, becoming atlantas first public library branch for african americans. Today the buildings on auburn avenue honor the determination and tenacity of black americans. Sweet auburn avenue atlanta, georgia usa a history from 18801960. Mar 22, 2019 atlanta filmmakers shonda harper, 34, and alahna lark, 24, began filming the 60minute documentary in 2016. Designated a national historic landmark district in 1976, the sweet auburn historic district covers 19 acres of a historic black neighborhood just east of downtown atlanta. If youre visiting in february, try to see the black history month parade, where the neighborhoods history is celebrated with performances. Coined by john wesley dobbs, a civic leader and the neighborhoods unofficial mayor, the name reflected the avenues prominence as a national center of black commerce.
Drain the potatoes, and run them under cold water to remove the skin. It is a representative story of the transformation of a city and the entire south. East of downtown atlanta, african americans established a vibrant business and entertainment district along auburn avenue. Gary m pomerantz, where peachtree meets sweet auburn penguin books, 1996, 8485. Sep 04, 2017 the auburn avenue history and culture project has been in the drawing books since at least 20. Its also the location of the auburn avenue research library, the atlanta life.