1. What people played a role in Georgia’s modern civil rights movement?
March 17, 2015

2. Herman Talmadge Son of Gov. Eugene Talmadge
First served as governor as part of the 3 Governor’s Episode
Served as governor again from
While governor, the segregationist tried to reinstate the white primary.

3. Benjamin Mays President of Morehouse College from 1940-1967
Spiritual mentor and friend of MLK
Introduced MLK to non-violent teachings of Gandhi
1942 – filed a lawsuit that led to desegregation of dining cars
1960 – encouraged students to stage sit-ins across Atlanta to end segregation

4. Benjamin Mays’ quote

5. Martin Luther King Jr.
Most famous leader of modern civil rights movement
Born in Atlanta and graduated from Morehouse College at 19
Used practices of non-violence and civil disobedience to protest segregation
Preached at Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and helped organize bus boycott in that city

6. Moved to Atlanta to preach at Ebenezer Baptist Church and formed Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964
Was assassinated in Memphis, TN in 1968

7. Hamilton Holmes/Charlayne Hunter
1st 2 African-American students to integrate the University of Georgia in 1961
Both had previously been denied admission to the University
Were finally admitted after a court ordered UGA to do so

8. Maynard Jackson
First African-American mayor of Atlanta; 1st African-American mayor of a major Southern city; served from
Worked to increase economic opportunities for all Atlantans
Expanded MARTA and Hartsfield International Airport
Helped secure Atlanta’s selection as host city for the 1996 Summer Olympics
Died in 2003; Airport renamed Hartsfield-Jackson after his death

9. Maynard Jackson

10. Lester Maddox Georgia governor from 1967-1971
Outspoken opponent of forced integration
Urged white parents to put their children into private schools rather than force them to go to integrated schools
Fought federal efforts to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965
Ironically, appointed more blacks to state-level positions on boards than any other governor and supported programs to help the poor, no matter what race

12. Andrew Young Pastored a church in Thomasville early in his career
Joined the SCLC to lead voter registration drives and became one of MLK’s top aides
Was with MLK at his assassination
Elected to Congress in 1972, becoming 1st black Congressman from GA since Reconstruction
Served as U.N. ambassador during Jimmy Carter’s presidency
Atlanta mayor from , succeeding Maynard Jackson
Also worked to get 1996 Olympics for Atlanta

13. Now a professor at Georgia State University in Atlanta