Antoine Graves Homes
This source follows the black expansion and urban renewal in Atlanta. In the late 40’s and early 50’s massive housing shortages caused by the expansion of the highway system forced African Americans to move into middle-class white neighborhoods on the west side of Atlanta (Historic American Building Survey 12). In the interest of avoiding violence and helping with the racial transition, African American builder Walter Aiken and real estate agent T.M. Alexander reached settlements with white businessmen and the city government that stipulated that African Americans would not move to the white neighborhoods on the north side and would remain in the pre-approved areas in the south and west sides. The investment of 21 million dollars was shown by the fast pace construction of public housing. Two of the largest housing projects were built in the early 1950’s. Carver Homes was constructed in 1953 and Perry Homes was constructed in 1955 in northwest Atlanta for black residents (Historic American Building Survey 13). In 1956, the public housing project was put on hold due to reductions in federal money and local white opposition to the rezoning. Perry and Carver Homes encouraged African American expansion on the west side, but it did propose the destruction of historically black neighborhoods downtown. Building public housing on designated urban renewal land was prohibited causing black housing shortages near downtown to be more acute (Historic American Building Survey 14). African American leadership was very critical of the plan because of the refusal to build housing on urban renewal land greatly attributed to the severe housing shortages for African Americans. After African American demonstrations and protests the city finally allowed public housing to be built on urban renewal land in 1963. The Antione Graves Homes was the first public housing African American senior citizens. It was designed by the firm of Edwards and Portman. The building was designed beautifully and could have been mistaken as a luxury hotel (Historic American Building Survey 23).
Works Cited
Historic American Buildings Survey, Creator, et al. Antoine Graves Homes, 126 Hilliard Street, Atlanta, Fulton County, GA. Document Compiled After. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/ga1059/>.