Browse Exhibits (4 total)
Atlanta Campaign
Why was the Union more successful than the Confederacy within the Atlanta Campaign during the Civil War? A big part of their victory in winning the Civil War and shaping modern day America came right here in the state of Georgia during the Atlanta Campaign in 1864. The Atlanta Campaign started in May of 1864 and lasted all the way until September of that same year. The Atlanta Campaign was one of the final nails in the coffin for the struggling Confederacy, once Atlanta was taken from their grasp it was all but over for the South. One thing that the story of the Atlanta Campaign lacks, though, is perspective. Most people view the Civil War through the eyes of the Union, because history is written by the victors. However, there are some perspectives that get lost, such as the war through the eyes of a Confederate soldier and even through the eyes of a Union army General.
Atlanta Public Schools
This exhibit presents the history of the Atlanta Public High School system beginning with the first school in 1872. The APS system was originally created to allow white Atlantans to receive a secondary education. However, following the forced integration of high schools in 1961, the black community began taking charge of the public schools. The number of public schools around the edges of the city, the predominantly white neighborhoods, began to diminish but stengthen those that stayed open, while more and more began popping up in the black communities. However, the inner city schools struggle to give students an adequate education. Even today, the white neighborhoods have primarily private schools, giving them better chances for their futures.
Desegregation of Atlanta
This exhibit follows the city of Atlanta, Georgia as it transitioned from segregation towards integration during the civil rights era, specifically focusing on four aspects within the city. It explores voter turnout and trends, transportation protests and freedom rides for integration, the desegregation of public schools and higher education, and racial implications for housing in Atlanta. The southern city transformed from one of isolation and segregation to one that is now known for its peaceful integration and tolerance of diversity.
Evolution of Atlanta
Founded in the 1830s, Atlanta has undergone a major transformation to become the city it is today. This exhibition examines the destruction of the city by General Sherman during the Civil War, its postwar reconstruction, the city's cultural and racial divisions through the integration of its public schools, as well as the city's evolution as a transportation hub from railways to airways. The transformation of Atlanta from the rubble left by the Civil War to international prominence by hosting the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympic Games reveals the city's remarkable resilience in overcoming numerous obstacles to become the city it is today.