MODERN GEORGIA PRESENT

Transformation of GA’s Agriculture  GI Bill provided educational opportunities to veterans…men left the farm for school.  Better technology and farming methods led to lees people needed to work on the farms.  Increase in synthetic materials led to a decrease in the demand for cotton,

Atlanta Develops  “Forward Atlanta Commission” was an advertising campaign that spent millions around the country. Telling the nation about the location, transportation, climate, resources and workforce.  In three years 700 new firms brought 17,000 new jobs to Atlanta.

Hartsfield and Allen  Hartsfield was the first mayor to push for the development of a first class airport.  Allen Was the leader of the Forward Atlanta Commission.

Hartsfield Ivan Allen Jr.

Professional sports  Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Thrashers.  The teams give hundreds of people jobs and help generate business for the teams, cities, Marta, and downtown businesses.

Ellis Arnall  Ran for governor against Eugene Talmage and promised reform.  First he reduce the power held by the governor.  Removed from controlling university and public education.  Gov could no longer pardon criminals.  Gov could no longer veto constitutional amendments

Ellis Arnall  Reduced the voting age to 18, GA was 1 st in nation to lower it.  Rewrote the State Constitution to make it less confusing.  Got rid of the poll tax and the white primary. Blacks were now allowed to vote in GA’s primaries.

Ellis Arnall

Three Governors Controversy  Eugene Talmadge was running unopposed for reelection in 1946, but he was in poor health.  He died before being sworn in: Thompson was the Lt. Gov. but not sworn in yet. Carmichael had 669 votes and Herman Talmadge had 617.

Three Governors Controversy  58 votes that were not counted were found in Telfair County (Talmadge’s county).  Three men claimed the right to be governor.  M.E. Thompson was appointed acting gov for 2 years and Talmadge was elected in the next election.

Herman Talmadge  Like his father he promised a return of the white primary.  He fought hard to preserve the segregation of the races, but was unable to restore the white primary.  Created the first state sales tax and increased funding for education by 74%

Benjamin Mays  President of Morehouse College from  While he was president enrollment doubled and its endowment quadrupled.  Became a mentor to MLK, suggested he study the teachings of Gandhi.  Local civil rights leader

Brown v Board of Education  1954 Supreme Court Ruling that ended segregation in all schools stating that “separate facilities were not equal”  There was no date that school had to be desegregated, so many southern states delayed the equality.

Martin Luther King Jr.  Created the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) which was headquartered in Atlanta.  Believed in nonviolent protest.  While in jail wrote “Letter from Birmingham Jail”  Explained why the civil rights movement could not slow down, because blacks were being beaten and killed.

Martin Luther King Jr.  Led the March on Washington were he gave the “I Have a Dream” speech.  March was intended to show support for the Civil Rights Bill of  The bill passed.

1956 State Flag  Before 1956, the GA state flag did not have the Confederate Flag.  After 1956, it had the Confederate Flag.  The Flag was changed to protest the integration of schools and Federal laws.  Defenders of the changed flag said that it represented Southern heritage.

Then Now

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)  Students began to protest like MLK and SCLC.  Headquarters were located in Atlanta, GA.  Thought SCLC was too passive, SNCC was more militant. Strained relationship between both groups.

SNCC Atlanta Headquarters

Sibley Commission  GA General Assembly appointed a committee to “study” the effects of integration in schools.  Opened the door for desegregation to start in Georgia.

Sibley Commission

Hamilton Homes & Charlayne Hunter  First two black students to attend the University of Georgia.  Homes became a physician and Hunter became a journalist.

The Albany Movement  Created by SNCC in Albany, GA  Goal was to end segregation through negotiation instead of protest and demonstration.  Hundreds of blacks went to jail as they tested segregation laws.  Movement began to split over involvement of outside people like MLK.

The Albany Movement  Movement fails  People lose enthusiasm and money for being arrested.  Many of the lessons learned would lead to success with future demonstrations and civil disobedience.

March on Washington  250,000 people marched on Washington to show support for the Civil Rights Act of  Highlighted by MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech

Civil Rights Act  Prohibited racial discrimination in employment and labor unions and in public facilities, such as swimming pools and playgrounds.  Private businesses could not deny service to any race.

Maynard Jackson  Elected Mayor of Atlanta,  First black man elected mayor of a major southern city.

Lester Maddox  Outspoken segregationist became GA’s governor in  Encouraged parents to send their kids to private schools instead of desegregated public schools.  Claimed the civil rights movement was controlled by liberals and communists.

Andrew Young  First black man in GA elected to congress since Reconstruction.  Resigned from Congress to become the US ambassador for the United Nations.  Top Aide of MLK, Jr.  Very important in bringing the Olympics to Atlanta.

County Unit System  A special formula for counting votes in primary elections of the democratic party.  Applied for only state wide elections like governor or US Senator.  Went to keep political power in the rural area ad not the growing urban areas.  Most votes in a county won that county.  Whoever won the most counties won the election.

County Unit System  Most votes in a county won that county.  Whoever won the most counties won the election.  Not the statewide vote winner  This gave rural voters more representation than urban voters.

Reapportionment  The redrawing of voting districts every 10 years.  GA was forced to do it after the County Unit System was ruled a violation of the voters rights.

Jimmy Carter  Became governor in  Ran on a platform of ending segregation, modernize state government, and better serve the people of the state.  1976 he became the first person from GA to become president.  Stressed honesty and restoring confidence in government.

Jimmy Carter  Received the Nobel Peace Prize in  Recognized his decades of work for finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts.  MLK, Jr. & Carter BOTH received the Nobel Peace Prize.

1996 Summer Olympics  Atlanta prepared for the games for 5 years.  Olympic Stadium was renamed Turner Field and is used by the Braves.  Provided a huge boost for GA’s economy.  Georgia was left with many sports venues and parks from the Olympics.

New Immigrant Communities  Provides a larger tax paying population.  Each ethnic group assimilates into GA’s culture, but also contributes by sharing their own traditions.  The largest growing sector of immigrant communities is Hispanic.