Discover Atlanta's Black History Aboard the Atlanta Streetcar
With the addition of the Atlanta Streetcar as a transportation option for locals and tourists. Atlanta’s part in America’s black history is more accessible than ever.
The Streetcar has several pick-up points throughout Downtown Atlanta, the Old Fourth Ward and Sweet Auburn districts of the city. Here’s where to get off and explore history.
Edgewood at Hilliard
A few blocks south of this stop is Historic Oakland Cemetery, the centuries-old burial place for people of Atlanta from all classes and races. Graves of Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first African American mayor; Bishop Wesley John Gaines, founder of Morris Brown College; and Carrie Steele Logan, 19th century founder of Atlanta’s first orphanage for black children, which continues today as the Carrie Steel Pitts Home.
King Historic District
This stop is at the Martin Luther King, Jr, National Historical Park, where visitors will find multiple sites paying tribute to the civil rights leader, including the Birth Home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, The King Center, and the National Park Service Visitor Center.
The Municipal Market
The Sweet Auburn Historic District is an African American neighborhood centralized on Auburn Avenue. On the list of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and as a registered U.S. National Historic Landmark District, Sweet Auburn offers up history alongside modern Atlanta foodie haven the The Municipal Market, which has cuisine for every palate, including my favorite place to grab a burger in Atlanta: Grindhouse Killer Burgers.
Auburn at Piedmont
Just a short walk from the intersection of Auburn at Piedmont you’ll find the APEX Museum, a museum dedicated to presenting history from an African American perspective.
Centennial Olympic Park
Pemberton Place, next to Centennial Olympic Park, is the home of the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The center connects the American Civil Rights Movement to today’s Global Human Rights Movements through interactive displays and a multi-cultural experience. Across the park, visitors will find the College Football Hall of Fame, which features an immersive experience surrounding the game, including a special display about Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
On the last Saturday in February, the annual Black History Month Parade marches alongside much of the Atlanta Streetcar route. The parade is the largest celebration of Black History Month in the United States.
