Protests, demonstrations and sporadic violence spewed across the nation after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. A spotlight was cast on civil rights leaders. The Old Guard, in some arenas, shared stages with younger voices, a contingent often edgier and eager to join the conversation. Today, an Atlanta reverend outlines efforts to merge the two groups into a “civil and human rights” endeavor that addresses social ills. Other topics today: teen dating violence and the mortality rate of pregnant women.

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Members of the conversion crew take a break as the main scoreboard is lowered to the floor to be worked on as the arena gets ready for the next concert at State Farm Arena, Thursday, October 2, 2025, in Atlanta. The crew was working on creating a stage for the Friday, Oct. 3 Maxwell concert. (Jason Getz/AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com