Our incredible lineup of author talks has gone virtual—delivering a variety of breakthrough, award-winning, and bestselling authors of fiction and nonfiction directly to your screen.
Jennifer Steinhauer, The Firsts: The Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress
Sue Monk Kidd, The Book of Longings
Bettye Kearse, The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family
Mary Beth Keane, Ask Again, Yes
Atlanta Cooks: Cynthia Graubart
Annette Joseph, Italy is My Boyfriend
Stacey Abrams, Our Time is Now
Megan Miranda, The Girl from Widow Hills
Curtis Sittenfeld, Rodham in conversation with Roxane Gay
Lara Prescott, The Secrets We Kept
Saeed Jones in conversation with Kiese Laymon, Writing About the South
Heather Lende, Of Bears and Ballots
Bruce Feiler, Life is in the Transitions
Natasha Trethewey, Memorial Drive
Grace Elizabeth Hale, Cool Town
Lisa Donovan, Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger: A Memoir
Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents
Edward Ball, Life of a Klansman
Mab Segrest, Administrations of Lunacy
Jon Meacham, His Truth is Marching On
Christina Baker Kline, The Exiles
Claudio Saunt, Unworthy Republic
Katherine Landdeck, The Women With Silver Wings
An Evening with George Singleton and Ron Rash
Robert P. Jones, White Too Long
Michael Ian Black, A Better Man
Tim Weiner, The Folly and the Glory
Christopher Swann, Never Turn Back
A Measure of Belonging: Twenty-one Writers of Color in the New American South
Tori Whitaker, Millicent's Last Wish
H.W. Brands, The Zealot and the Emancipator
Connor Towne O'Neill, Down Along With That Devil's Bones
Atlanta History Center invites you to join in the commemoration of the end of enslavement in the United States during its annual Juneteenth program. Since 2013 Atlanta History Center’s yearly event has connected with visitors around this essential moment in national history. Due to risks posed by COVID-19, we will not be hosting an in-person event this year. Instead, we have curated virtual resources for the entire family to mark the occasion.
On the Blog
The blog post Juneteenth: A Celebration for a New Age, written by Atlanta History Center Vice President of Historical Interpretation and Community Partnerships Dr. Calinda Lee, traces the remarkable twists and turns in the history of the observance. Dr. Lee writes that though Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, few people were immediately freed. The Civil War was ongoing and “’rebellious states’ were in no mood to play heed to Lincoln’s order.”
Reading List
Our friends at Charis Books and More have created this reading list for readers of all ages to enhance our understanding of the past and the significance of the Juneteenth celebration.
Genealogy: Emma Davis-Hamilton in conversation with Sue VerHoef
Emma Davis-Hamilton discusses the Freedmen's Bureau in this pre-recorded genealogy presentation. The records of the Freedmen’s Bureau are a rich resource for documenting African American life in the post-Civil War and Reconstruction eras.
Family Focused Fun
Enslaved people in the United States resisted the institution of slavery and asserted their humanity and their personhood in many different ways. From running away, organizing uprisings and directly fighting back, as well as clinging to and sharing African traditions which were at constant risk of erasure. One of the many forms of resistance was joining the United States' cause during the Civil War and serving the cause as spies, nurses, and soldiers.
We are excited to bring to you three such stories of Black self-liberation during the American Civil War. History comes to life in these unique lessons created by our dynamic Education team. From brave covert women spies embedded in the Confederacy to the courageous men who fought in the United States Colored Troops- there is sure to be something for everyone in the family to explore.
Turn the music up!
Juneteenth Jamboree: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and lift your voice in celebration of triumph, emancipation, and history with these inspirational tunes.
Video Story Time: Henry’s Freedom Box
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights presents a reading of Henry’s Freedom Box by Kadir Nelson and Ellen Levine in celebration of Juneteenth and in recognition of black self-liberation during enslavement. Prior to the reading, Jasmine Page, Education Programs Coordinator, provides a brief discussion about black self-liberation, how this form of resistance influenced the 1950’s Civil Rights Movement, and how we can see this work being done today.
Additional Resources
Curated by Dr. Calinda Lee, Vice President of Historical Interpretation and Community Partnerships
What’s Juneteenth and Why Does it Matter
African American Heritage and History
Making Your Celebratory Feast
Exploring with the Next Generation
This programming is presented by the Nissan Foundation with additional funding provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
In 2019, Atlanta History Center, in partnership with the Latin American Association, the Latino Community Fund, Freedom University, and Northeast Plaza, commissioned a mural to represent the diverse Latinx communities in the Atlanta area. The mural, designed and executed by Yehimi Cambrón, is entitled Mi Gente (My People) and depicts the stories of everyday individuals that make up ATL's Latinx community.
Click through the links below to learn more about the mural through a guided tour of Mi Gente.
English Mi Gente: A Guided Tour
En Español Mi Gente: Un Tour Guiado
Oakland City & Bush Mountain History Tour Project
The Atlanta History Center, together with project partners WAWA, Oakland City Community Organization, and the Bush Mountain Neighborhood Association, invites you to explore the past and present sites in Oakland City and Bush Mountain, two distinct neighborhoods with intertwined histories. Join us to explore the rich history and experience the hidden gems scattered around the neighborhoods. This brief video showcases the perspectives of residents and project partners on just why these two neighborhoods are so valuable to the fabric of Atlanta.
Click here to access the tour!
Young people are changemakers and our hope for this Civil Rights Toolkit is that it inspires young people to learn lessons from the past to positively impact the present—and future!
Through digital storytelling, writing prompts, art activities, and supplemental interactives, this toolkit provides something for all ages. We have curated the content for specific grade levels and encourage grownups to review the activities in advance to assess the appropriateness of the material for their child’s specific needs.
The Children's March: Stories from the Birmingham Children's Crusade
Sing With Us! | “Woke Up This Morning”
Grade Levels K–3
Activity: Make Your Own Instrument and Play Along!
Sing with Us! | "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around"
Grade Levels 4–6
Activity: Play Along! and Write Your Own Song
Sing With Us! | "We Shall Overcome"
Grade Levels 6–8
Activity: Blackout Poetry
The Children's March: Birmingham Children's Crusade
Grade Levels 6–9
Activity: Become a Digital Storyteller!
A Baseball Bat Remembers: A Story of the Negro Leagues
The Story of Baseball Bat: Sports and Civil Rights
Grade Levels 1-6
Jackie Robinson Interactive Experience
Grade Levels 1-6
Activities:
I Can Draw: Jackie Robinson Grid Drawing
Grade Levels 1-5
The Story of a Baseball Glove: Personification Activity
Grade Levels 3-6
Jigsaw puzzles:
Jackson Robinson Bat | Easy
Bat & Glove at AHC | Easy
Red Moore’s Glove at AHC | Intermediate
Ponce Postcard | Intermediate
Jackie Robinson | Intermediate
Poetry Out Loud inspires high school students to dive into the vast world of poetry and compete in a poetry recitation competition with their peers. Through the preparation process, students learn about poetry interpretation and public speaking. Students begin by competing at their high schools, then move on to regional and statewide competitions. Georgia’s state program is coordinated by Atlanta History Center. This year, over 13,000 students participated in Poetry Out Loud in Georgia.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the annual national finals competition, but state finalists still got the chance to showcase their hard work in the first-ever virtual Georgia competition.
Congratulations to state winners!
3rd place: Alejandro Campo (from Flowery Branch High School in Hall county)
2nd place: Kamryn Jones (from DeKalb School of the Arts in DeKalb county)
1st place: Grayson Nour (from Whitefield Academy in Cobb county)
Check out the virtual finals competition here! Curious to learn more about poetry, or inspired to try your own hand at poetry recitation? Explore all that Poetry Out Loud has to offer, including poems ranging from humorous to historical to profound.
Poetry Out Loud is hosted in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the Georgia Council for the Arts. Atlanta History Center has coordinated the Georgia Poetry Out Loud program for the past twelve years
Through this time-lapse map, explore the path of the Civil War through Georgia and the clashes, skirmishes, and battles that shaped what is often called the final turning point of the war. This detailed map tracks the movement of United States and Confederate troops, as well as casualties and shifting lines of engagement.
This interactive map charts out important landmarks, people, and events relating to the Civil War in the Atlanta area and beyond. Then-and-now views, archival images, and premade virtual tours allow you to see where history happened right in your backyard.
Emory Center for Digital Scholarship developed an augmented reality app for The Battle of Atlanta cyclorama that identifies significant points-of-interests embedded in the painting, and is available on app stores for iOS (Apple) and Android (Google Play). Learn more over on the Emory Center for Digital Scholarship’s blog—and be sure to watch the video featuring footage of the cyclorama’s installation, restoration, and public exhibition, and commentary by Atlanta History Center’s Senior Military Historian and Cyclorama: The Big Picture curator, Gordon Jones.
Have ewe herd? Our sheep are still up to shenanigans during quarantine.
If you’d like to check in on our four-legged friends throughout the week, check out our live farm cam. You're most likely to see them out and about between 8–11:00am.
In April, Brett Bannor, Manager of Animal Collections, and Fulton County 4-H Club UGA Extension Agent, Dr. Laurie Murrah-Henson, gave our heritage breed sheep their springtime trim. Normally, we invite the community to watch our animal ambassadors get sheared. However, in an effort to flatten the curve, the Fulton County 4-H Club at Atlanta History Center is bringing Buster + our barnyard to you at home instead. Make room on the couch—they love to cuddle.
Not enough sheep for you? Get to know Brett and his role at Atlanta History Center over at our blog
How would you tell the story of Atlanta using only 50 objects? Atlanta History Center asked the Atlanta community exactly that- and after hundreds of entries, assembled this exhibition detailing the Atlanta story through objects and photographs.
More Than Self: Living the Vietnam War
Between 1964 and 1975, nearly 3,500,000 men and women served in the United States armed forces in Southeast Asia. Each of them has a story to tell. Each story is unique. This online exhibition draws directly from the stories of these veterans.
Voices Across the Color Line: Atlanta In the Civil Rights Movement
Atlanta’s Student Movement played a key role in further the Civil Rights movement not only in Atlanta, but across the South. This online exhibition explores the figures who shaped the movement in Atlanta and the student activism that changed a city.
Maps, photographs, architectural drawings, film, and more live in this repository for Atlanta History Center’s online visual collections. Feeling overwhelmed? Here are a few places to start:
Documenting the stories of our city’s veterans helps preserve stories of war and sacrifice for future generations. Over 750 video interviews are waiting to be discovered- you can also look at this page for aggregate videos.
Atlanta History Center’s oral history collections seek to elevate the voices of Atlantans across the city’s history to tell history in their own words. Dive into the multifaceted history of our city through these collections:
All across Atlanta—and the globe—people's lives have been impacted by COVID-19. In order to do our part to document this period of history, we are asking you to share your experiences with us. The stories and materials we collect will allow us to study and share these experiences with future generations. History that is not recorded is often forgotten. To share your story, or to submit a file or URL, please use our collection form.
There’s something for everyone on Atlanta History Center’s blog. We’ve pulled a few of our favorites below, but you’re always welcome to explore on your own!
What is Made By Us?
There’s no end to making a more perfect union.
Throughout our nation’s history, young people have been a driver of change. Through this new national initiative, Atlanta History Center joins dozens of other history organizations in encouraging young people to get involved in making the country that we want on our 250th birthday coming up in 2026. We join other organizations in a movement to make history more relevant and accessible for use in proactive, surprising ways.
Engage with social platforms on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, or visit historymadebyus.com for more information.
Our friends over at StoryCorps launched a new way for you to stay in touch with and learn about your loved ones- through StoryCorps Connect, a platform for conducting interviews from afar. If you choose to do so, your interview will be archived at the Library of Congress for future generations. Show that listening is an act of love through this unique platform.
We're here for you while you're social distancing. Every other week, we're pulling together our favorite things from around the internet that put a smile on our face. We hope it brings you joy!
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