NEW YORK - Even after Maynard Jackson was no longer Atlanta's mayor, he maintained an active role in city politics. On his way out after serving three terms, Jackson invited his friend Rev. Al Sharpton to come down to Atlanta.
"I got there and there were police there. I said, 'Oh God, what did I do now?'" Sharpton said. "He said, 'Follow me!' He shut me in a room with Shirley Franklin, who had become the new mayor. He said, 'You guys need to know each other.'"
Sharpton was interviewed for "Maynard," the documentary about Atlanta's first black mayor. After its premiere here last night, he shared his thoughts about Maynard the man and "Maynard" the movie.
"It was unreal that the capital of the Confederacy would elect a black mayor," Sharpton said. "He was the first black mayor that I know that talked about black folks making money."
MORE: "Maynard" premieres in New York
FROM THE AJC ARCHIVES: Maynard Jackson's obituary
In the video clip below, Sharpton discusses the impact Jackson had on him.
