AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY
ABOUT
In April 2022, the Office of Design hired the City of Atlanta’s first African American Heritage Coordinator. Born of the office’s Future Places Project study, responsibilities for the position are wide-ranging. The work focuses on elevating African American history within the department by creating programming, identifying properties and sites for designation, and creating partnerships between the Historic Preservation Studio’s historic preservation programs and those in other City departments.
CITY DESIGN CORE VALUES
Our goal for all of the Projects within the Office of Design is to have our projects demonstrate at least one of the Atlanta City Design core values.
RECENT ACTIVITIES
ROBERT W. WOODRUFF LIBRARY BLACK LGBTQ+ EVENT
Through this partnership with the Atlanta University Center’s Robert W. Woodruff Library, we hosted an event that acknowledged and gave voice to members of Atlanta’s Black LGBTQ+ community. The event, one of many hosted by the Office of Design and Historic Atlanta, served as an opportunity to gather information about and to hear important stories from an often-ignored segment of Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ community.
ROSE HILL COMMENMORATION
We are continuing our work with members of the First Existentialist Congregation (First E) to commemorate the former Rose Hill Community—a late-nineteenth/early-twentieth century African American community that fell victim to Atlanta’s 1942 slum clearance ordinance. Residents were essentially forced out and their properties demolished. The City of Atlanta leveled the hillside community and created Candler Park’s ball fields. In October 2022, members of First E mapped the original Rose Hill community and hosted tours and programming to honor the former community and its residents.
MASON CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH
Our ongoing assistance and meetings with Mason Chapel Baptist Church leadership supports their efforts to restore and preserve the historic church structure (ca. 1947). Established in 1909, the Mason Chapel congregation dates back to the late 19th century—many members had been formerly enslaved. Due to poor workmanship, the roof structure was compromised and eventually caved in. As a result, some of the building’s walls and floor structures need significant repair. In addition, some historic materials have been lost. In June 2022, the African American Heritage Coordinator worked with church leadership to nominate Mason Chapel Baptist Church to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation as a “place in peril”.
OLD STONE CHURCH DESIGNATION
Located in Candler Park (formerly the Edgewood/Rose Hill Community), the Old Stone Church was built by Antioch Baptist Church (now Antioch East Baptist Church) over four years (1918-1922) with granite from Stone Mountain. It was the congregation’s third structure. Beginning in January 2023, The African American Heritage Coordinator worked with the current owners (First Existentialist Congregation) and Office of Design staff to begin the process that will lead to local designation. Final designation is expected by late 2023.
