Atlanta is a very unique place, both historically and modernly. Of course, Atlanta is best known for its role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, but even today, Atlanta is always on the cutting edge of history. Our history is led by trailblazers who picture a better, more fair world.
These 5 women definitely shaped Atlanta (and the world), by the way they led, worked, and changed the whole game.
1. Shirley Franklin
Shirley Franklin is a household name in the ATL. Known for being the first woman to be elected mayor of Atlanta, and the first Black woman to be elected mayor of any major Southern city, Franklin’s legacy is cemented in Atlanta history. Franklin was mayor of Atlanta from 2002-2010, and is currently 78 years old. Her work focused on civil rights, women’s rights and gender equality, tackling the issue of homelessness, and higher education.
Sources:
National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, GA
Iowa State University’s Archives of Women’s Political Communications.
2. Coretta Scott King
Coretta Scott King, the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was, along with her husband and children, a huge fighter for civil rights. Her life was devoted to social change and fighting racism. According to The King Center, which Coretta Scott King founded, “She traveled throughout the United States and the world speaking out on behalf of racial and economic justice, women’s and children’s rights, gay and lesbian dignity, religious freedom, gun control, the needs of the poor and homeless, full-employment, health care, educational opportunities, nuclear disarmament, and environmental justice.”
Of course, Mrs. King’s legacy reaches the entire world, not just Atlanta. Her lasting impact on human rights is something everyone can be grateful for. Mrs. King also worked to record and preserve the legacy of her husband’s life, by founding the The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center, now known as The King Center.
Source:
The King Center in Atlanta, GA
3. Alana Shepherd
Alana Shepherd’s work in the medical field has helped save countless lives. After Shepherd’s son suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed, Shepherd began her work to ensure that there was adequate care for patients in Atlanta.
She and her family co-founded the Shepherd Center. According to the Georgia Historical Society, since its conception, “Shepherd Center has grown from a six-bed unit to a world-renowned, 152-bed rehabilitation hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury and other neurological conditions.”
Alana Shepherd’s work also reached into the city to help make MARTA more accessible to differently abled bodies, and the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport one of the most accessible airports in the entire country.
Source:
Georgia Historical Society
4. Dorothy Lee Bolden
You might not have heard of Dorothy Lee Bolden, but you definitely should. Bolden worked as a maid in Atlanta for nearly all of her life, and even though she worked tirelessly, she made very little money. After years of mistreatment by the white people she worked for, even when they told her she was a ‘part of their family,’ she finally decided something needed to be done. Bolden decided that the only time when domestic workers could really focus on activism… was on their bus-ride commutes. She took action during this time in the mornings and evenings and rode buses all over Atlanta, eventually rallying the support of over 70 domestic workers, almost all Black women.
Bolden became president of the National Domestic Workers Union of America (NDWUA) in 1968. Her work with NDWUA fought for rights for workers, training and official certificates for domestic workers, fair pay, and better working conditions. Her work in labor reform is still extremely impactful today.
Source:
Women & The American Story
5. Stacey Abrams
Everyone in Atlanta (and basically the whole country) has heard of Stacey Abrams and her work for voter rights in the state of Georgia. Abrams is known for being the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in 2018, even though she ultimately lost the election for governor.
Abrams’ tireless work to register Georgia voters is credited as what turned the state of Georgia from red to blue in the 2020 election between Biden and Trump. She helped nearly 1 million Georgia residents register to vote, especially disenfranchised Black voters in Georgia.
Source:
Britannica
Women have shaped the entire United States, and Atlanta is no different. Atlanta is shaped by influential people, including these five incredible women.