Founded in 1926, the Atlanta Historical Society was founded to preserve Atlanta’s history. By 1990, the society had officially transformed into Atlanta History Center — 33 acres of historic property and a wide array of exhibitions.
As a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, the center is part of a “global network of historic sites, museums and memory initiatives that connects past struggles to today’s movements for human rights.” With Black History Month well underway, the center’s latest exhibitions are asking visitors to “Explore Black Atlanta.”.
Online, the Atlanta History Center is offering free public access to historic documents, photographs and other material dedicated to preserving the stories of African-Americans in Atlanta.
“Selected as a sample from the collections of Kenan Research Center, the photography in this display reflects the rich stories of Atlanta’s historically black colleges and universities, the Civil Rights Movement, and those of African American educators, entertainers, and athletes,” according to the exhibition’s description.
Another online exhibition, “Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow,” explores the struggle faced by African Americans in the decades that followed the Civil War.
“The exhibition highlights the ways African Americans advocated for full inclusion in American democracy from 1865 through World War I,” the online exhibition said. “‘Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow’ was created by the New-York Historical Society in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Atlanta History Center has enhanced the exhibition with a focus on local stories and artifacts.”
For those interested in a more hands-on learning experience, the Atlanta History Center features a stunning museum of revolving exhibits. The on-site Kenan Research Center preserves primary sources for studying Atlanta history, and the Goizueta Gardens offer 33 acres of southeastern horticultural history.
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