The first in a series of discussions on Atlanta’s Blandtown neighborhood. Conversation #1 features Gregor’s dialogue with Dr. Rhana Gittens regarding her recent dissertation, Displacing the “Black Mecca”: Romanticizing or Witnessing African American Historical Trajectories in the Case of the Atlanta BeltLine, which focuses in part on Blandtown.

Founded in 1872 on Atlanta’s west side, Blandtown was once a thriving African American community.  Undermined by rezoning in the 1950’s and gentrification in the 2000’s, the neighborhood serves as a case study for current development, social justice, and land use issues relating to the greater city. The project was supported by a Virtual Arts Initiative Grant through Fulton County Arts & Culture.

Funded in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.