Category: Atlanta, Georgia Local News

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Donald Trump continues to attack cities and jurisdictions heavily populated by minorities, often painting them as crime-ridden and unsafe despite evidence showing overall declines in many categories of crime. Nowhere is this tension clearer than in Washington, D.C., where residents face relentless scrutiny from Trump while Red States — many with far less diversity — quietly struggle with some of the highest murder rates in the nation.

The District of Columbia recorded the nation’s highest murder rate in 2023 at 39 per 100,000 residents, with 265 murders. Despite local efforts to address violence, Trump routinely depicts the city as unlivable. To many residents, the greater tragedy is not just the crime itself but the reality that the capital of the United States now looks like an occupied third-world country, with National Guard and federal troops visibly stationed throughout the city. Washingtonians, who have already been denied full congressional representation, have become political pawns in Trump’s rhetoric. What Trump avoids mentioning is that several Republican-led states top the list of the deadliest places. Louisiana had a murder rate of 14.5 per 100,000, recording 663 killings in 2023. New Mexico, Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas — all governed by Republicans in recent years — also posted murder rates higher than 9 per 100,000 residents.

In Missouri, another GOP stronghold, the murder rate stood at 9.1 per 100,000 with 564 murders, disproportionately concentrated in cities like St. Louis and Kansas City. South Carolina, Alaska, and Georgia each ranked high, while Mississippi, often touted by conservatives as a bastion of “traditional values,” has at times led the nation in murder rates. Meanwhile, states with larger minority populations that Trump targets — including Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Maryland — often have lower murder rates than many of these Red States. Illinois, home to Chicago, recorded a rate of 6.56 per 100,000, below Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

Critics argue this is no accident. Trump’s fixation on minority-heavy jurisdictions is part of a long-standing strategy of scapegoating urban areas with large Black and Latino populations, while sidestepping the systemic problems facing states where his support is strongest. “Murders were far more common in [Mississippi] than they were nationwide,” the World Population Review reported, with Louisiana, Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas following close behind. The report’s numbers show that while Trump fixates on minority-heavy cities, the deadliest conditions are playing out in Red States that rarely draw his attention. “Murders are disproportionately concentrated in urban areas, especially in New Orleans and Baton Rouge,” the researchers concluded.

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When the air turns hot and thick, it’s time to seek higher ground. The South’s plentiful mountains are filled with fresh breezes, backcountry trails, and green-carpeted landscapes as far as the eye can see. But the best mountain getaways offer more than just stunning backdrops and tolerable temperatures. Set your GPS for one of these inviting small towns, and you’ll find world-class performing arts, historical architecture, funky bars and boutiques, and standout restaurants.

Illustration by Scott Schiller

Bryson City, North Carolina
Vibe: Think low-key chill (afternoon strolls through a postcard-perfect downtown) paired with high-key thrills (ziplining, mountain biking, or paddling Class III whitewater rapids), all bordering Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Favorite pastime: Book a whitewater-rafting trip down the Nantahala River through the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC). The river offers varying degrees of difficulty, making it popular among grandmas and gearheads alike.
Must-see attraction: Departing from a Bryson City depot, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad chugs through the scenic towns and gorges of western North Carolina.
Stay: Book one of 10 suites at the historic Everett Hotel. Welcome the sunrise with a complimentary made-to-order breakfast and later enjoy sunset from the rooftop terrace.
Must-stop shop: For 20 years, the Wild Fern has curated artisan-made jewelry, ceramics, soaps, specialty foods, and other giftable items—many from local craftspeople.
Grub: At the NOC’s restaurant, River’s End, you can polish off a trout-cake sandwich while watching paddlers glide down the Nantahala.
Watering hole: Order a juicy IPA or toasty lager at Mountain Layers Brewing Company, an award-winning microbrewery and taproom with a sunny outdoor deck.
Unofficial mayor: Evy Leibfarth, an NOC–sponsored athlete, has practiced on the Nantahala since childhood. She achieved hometown hero status when she won bronze in canoe slalom at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Clayton, Georgia
Vibe: If your idea of a perfect post-hike meal is artisan fare and a glass of local wine, this cozy town fits the bill: It’s home to a thriving culinary scene and sprawling vineyards.
Favorite pastime: Rabun County, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lays claim to 17 publicly accessible waterfalls, including the stunning, 100-foot Hurricane Falls in Tallulah Gorge State Park.
Must-see attraction: Experience Appalachian history and traditions at the Foxfire Museum, a village of 20 log buildings filled with artifacts dating from the early 1800s to the early 1900s.
Stay: Located in historic downtown, the White Birch Inn bed-and-breakfast offers six guest rooms decorated in mountain-chic style (tin ceilings, hammered copper sinks, canopy beds).
Must-stop shop: Treehouse on Main is the perfect spot to find jewelry by Georgia designers, floral-print dresses, and high-end furniture.
Grub: Located on Main Street, Fortify Kitchen & Bar serves Southern-inspired fare with ingredients sourced from local farms (think: fried green tomatoes and cornmeal-crusted mountain trout).
Watering hole: A stop at the tasting room at Stonewall Creek Vineyards offers beautiful views of Glassy Mountain and flights of Petit Verdot and Traminette grown and produced on-site.
Unofficial mayors: Josh and Alex Brown are the brains behind popular outdoor store Wander North Georgia, which stocks locally made wares.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Vibe: This quirky resort town in the Ozarks draws a diverse array of visitors, thanks to its friendly, inclusive charm, well-preserved Victorian architecture, and dozens of natural springs.
Favorite pastime: Seek out bubbling waters at downtown pocket parks, or indulge in a mineral soak and massage at the Palace Bath Hotel, the town’s last remaining original bathhouse.
Must-see attraction: Opera in the Ozarks, a professional training ground for vocalists since 1950, celebrates its 75th season this year with productions of Carmen, Into the Woods, and The Merry Widow.

Courtesy 5 Ojo Inn

Stay: This mountain town is full of charming B&Bs like 5 Ojo Inn, an easy stroll from downtown. Don’t miss the delicious breakfast, including the signature caramel French toast.
Must-stop shop: At Magee Jewelry, browse pendants, rings, and earrings handcrafted by father-daughter owners and designers Jim Magee and Emily Magee Eckman.
Grub: Ermilio’s dishes up hearty Italian faves (think: chicken parm, homemade meatballs in red sauce, cannoli) inside a picturesque Victorian home.
Watering hole: Missy’s White Rabbit Lounge is known for its playful cocktails (try the Mad Hatter), eclectic decor, and friendly atmosphere, plus live music and karaoke several nights a week.

Courtesy Thorncrown Chapel

Unofficial mayor: For four decades, Doug Reed has served as pastor of Thorncrown Chapel, a soaring glass sanctuary dreamed up by his father Jim Reed in the late 1970s and designed by Frank Lloyd Wright protege E. Fay Jones.

Illustration by Scott Schiller

Lewisburg, West Virginia
Vibe: A quaint small town that’s also a vibrant cultural capital, this Allegheny Mountains hotspot boasts galleries, studios, and theaters—including Greenbrier Valley Theatre, the state theater of West Virginia.
Favorite pastime: See top-notch artists grace the stage at an honest-to-God Carnegie Hall. The town is home to one of just four halls endowed by Andrew Carnegie that’s still in use today.
Must-see attraction: Hike or bike a section of the 78-mile Greenbrier River Trail, which begins just outside town and meanders over 35 bridges and through two tunnels.
Stay: The Historic General Lewis Inn, originally built as a private home in the early 1800s, offers a mix of old treasures (period antiques) and new comforts (luxury linens).
Must-stop shop: You’ll find everything you need for an Instagrammable charcuterie spread, plus unique barware, kitchen gadgets, wines, and locally made gifts at Bella the Corner Gourmet.
Grub: Grab a table in the al fresco garden at the French Goat, a historic home–turned-bistro serving French classics like croque madame, duck confit, and crème brûlée.
Watering hole: Sip West Virginia–made brews and hard ciders at Briergarten, an open-air brewhouse that also serves German-style pub fare like soft pretzels and bratwurst. ​​
Unofficial mayor: Spooky local legend Zona Heaster Shue (aka the Greenbrier Ghost) is credited with solving her own 1897 murder, appearing to her mother and naming her husband as her killer.

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Vibe: Bounded by the fog-shrouded Great Smoky Mountains, this tourist destination is beloved for its family-friendly fun.
Favorite pastime: Welcome to coaster country: From Dollywood’s Lightning Rod (the world’s fastest wooden roller coaster) to the old-school Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, a destination unto itself.
Must-see attraction: Take a leisurely drive through the Foothills Parkway, a meandering two-lane road flanked by overlooks in the foothills of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Stay: Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort, located just 10 minutes from the theme park (where guests get priority access), evokes the Smokies’ rustic beauty—from the soaring stone fireplace to the cozy plaid bedding.

Courtesy Boot Factory Outlet

Must-stop shop: There’s no need for tough shopping decisions at the Boot Factory Outlet. For every pair of embroidered or fringed boots you buy, they’ll throw in two pairs free.
Grub: This town is stacked with pancake houses, including family-operated Sawyer’s Farmhouse, where you can order yours topped with strawberries and powdered sugar, stuffed with pecans, or rolled around sausage links.
Watering hole: Sample hand-distilled moonshine, rum, bourbon whiskey, and cocktails made from other small-batch spirits at Old Forge Distillery.
Unofficial mayor: A 20-year employee of the Old Mill restaurant, a local landmark, Jimmy Proffitt chronicles his childhood memories and family recipes on his site, the Appalachian Tale.

Roanoke, Virginia
Vibe: This lively town in the Blue Ridge Mountains has a walkable downtown packed with museums and shops.

Courtesy Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Favorite pastime: Take advantage of more than 400 miles of mountain-biking trails—including ones that lead to the famous Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain.
Must-see attraction: With its rippling metal roof, Taubman Museum of Art  makes a striking impression. Inside, the permanent collection includes works by luminaries such as Norman Rockwell, plus more than 100 dazzling Judith Leiber handbags.
Stay: For 100 years, the historic Fire Station One was, well, a fire station. In 2023, the local landmark reopened as a boutique hotel that showcases original elements, like brass fire poles.
Must-stop shop: You could spend all day in the 40,000-square-foot Black Dog Salvage browsing treasures like stained-glass church windows, hand-carved doors, and vintage toys.
Grub: With a mix of ingredients sourced from the Roanoke and New River valleys, the Southern cuisine at the River and Rail features the best of what’s in season, like fresh Virginia oysters.
Watering hole: Part of the Virginia Blue Ridge Cheers Trail, Twisted Track Brewpub offers a wide variety of its own brews on tap, from thick stouts to fruit-tinged sours, plus hard seltzer, cider, wine, even kombucha.
Unofficial mayor: Local Instagrammer Genya Kalinina has built a following of more than 50,000 at @hello.roanoke, where she shares what’s happening around town.

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Hot Rentals
These mountain vacation homes don’t skimp on luxury (or views)

Riverside Retreat
Blue Ridge, Georgia, VRBO
Toccoa River Estate sits on 300 feet of the Toccoa River in the Blue Ridge Mountains, so you can watch the water rush by from the outdoor infinity pool—or from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the cathedral-like living room. Head to the dock to cast a line, curl up with a book by the firepit, or wander the estate’s private trails.

Games Galore
Boone, North Carolina, VRBO
With 18 acres to explore, not to mention an 85-foot waterfall and a hot tub that can fit the occupants of all seven bedrooms, there’s plenty to keep you busy outdoors at Hemingway Estate. Inside, you’ll find a home theater with a seven-foot screen and a fully-stocked game room (poker, air hockey, foosball, ping pong, arcade games—if you can play it, they’ve probably got it). Grandfather Mountain, with its Mile High Swinging Bridge, is just 15 minutes away.

Private Lagoon
Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, AirBnB
You’ve never had a backyard like this. Step outside this three-bedroom home in the Blue Ridge Mountains to find a rock quarry–turned-swimming hole, complete with a private beach, cabana, and plenty of canoes, pedal boats, kayaks, and floats. At Hapua at Quarry Run, numerous patios and decks offer ample water views, and a barn houses a full-service gym.

Illustration by Scott Schiller

Elevated Escapes
Mountain lodges around the Southeast take luxury to new heights

Courtesy Blackberry Mountain

Sister property to the renowned Blackberry Farm, Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee, promises a stunning getaway in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nourishing the mind as well as the body is part of the resort’s guiding philosophy, and visitors who choose to focus inward can enjoy forest bathing, guided journaling sessions, and a whole host of outdoor yoga classes, followed by healthy, wholesome meals prepared by acclaimed chefs.

Photo by Chelsea Lane

At an elevation of almost a mile above sea level, the Swag in Waynesboro, North Carolina, offers 18 intimate and elegant accommodations on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. (Perk: The resort has a private entrance to the national park.) All meals are included, from daily packed lunches—perfect for picnics or hikes—to four-course dinners and weekly family-style feasts.

At 12,000-acre Primland Resort in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, guests can golf on one of the best courses in the state, ride horses on woodland trails, and join guided hunting excursions. The light-filled rooms and suites have warm wood paneling and deep soaking tubs, while the new, secluded tree houses provide a simple yet elegant escape overlooking the Dan River Gorge.

Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the historic Old Edwards Inn & Spa is walking distance from Highlands, North Carolina’s charming shops and restaurants. The European-style Relais & Châteaux property features farm-to-table dining (with most produce grown right on the property), an award-winning spa, and a cozy, romantic ambience (think in-room fireplaces and outdoor hot tubs).

Illustration by Scott Schiller

Must-See Waterfalls
Three natural marvels worth the chase

Named after the Cherokee word for “tumbling waters,” Amicalola Falls in Dawsonville, Georgia, is the state’s tallest waterfall, spilling 729 feet—the same height as a 60-story skyscraper. Multiple trails lead to the cascades, but the East Ridge Loop, a two-mile switchback that zags past natural lookouts with breathtaking views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, is the most popular. The falls’ eponymous state park also features an adventure lodge with 20 ziplines, outdoor sports (ranging from archery to hatchet throwing), and luxurious mountaintop accommodations.

Courtesy Ruby Falls

Tunneling into the side of Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga caver Leo Lambert accidentally discovered a previously unknown cavern with striking geological formations and a plunging underground waterfall he named Ruby Falls. Today, travelers can ride a glass-front elevator 260 feet below the ground to explore the subterranean trails on a guided history tour or an evening lantern tour.

Cumberland Falls in southeastern Kentucky is a 125-foot-wide wall of water that draws comparisons to Niagara Falls due to its square shape. And because it faces and flows north, the roaring cataract produces an extremely rare phenomenon: a lunar rainbow called a moonbow. Even better, it’s fairly predictable, appearing most vividly on clear nights under a full moon between dusk and midnight. This summer’s dates include July 8–12, August 7–11, and September 5–9.

Illustration by Scott Schiller

All Creatures Great and Small
Encounter iconic and lesser-known animals that call the mountains home

Perhaps no creature is more closely associated with the Southern Appalachians than the American black bear. And while tens of thousands live in the area, they remain rather elusive. Those looking to spot the region’s largest predator should plan a visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where an estimated 1,900 bears reside (a positive sign, considering there were fewer than 300 just 50 years ago). Open areas such as Cades Cove and the more remote Cataloochee Valley offer some of the best chances for seeing bears, as well as the park’s largest inhabitants, elk. Reintroduced to the park in 2001, the herds now number more than 200.

The Southern Appalachians are also a global hotspot for salamanders. Seventy-seven species live here, some of which are found nowhere else. The Smoky Mountains alone are home to 31 salamander species, which is why the area is known as the Salamander Capital of the World. Keep an eye out for showy specimens, such as the Southern red-backed and the Blue Ridge spring, as well as the largest salamander in North America, the hellbender, which can grow to over two feet long. Among the best sites to find these lizard-like amphibians are Grotto Falls and Abrams Falls, both located within the national park. The Smoky Mountain Field School, a collaboration between the park and the University of Tennessee, offers salamander hikes during the summer, and the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga and the Appalachian Rivers Aquarium in Bryson City, North Carolina, maintain hellbender exhibits, which promise the chance to see these masters of camouflage.

Illustration by Scott Schiller

Summit Sips
When it comes to standout libations, these distilleries, wineries, and breweries are peak performers

America’s most-visited distillery, Ole Smoky Moonshine in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, is a Great Smokies icon. Check out the authentic moonshine stills and sample signature flavors such as White Lightin’ and Apple Pie while listening to live bluegrass. In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Palmetto Distillery in Anderson, South Carolina, has two claims to fame: It produced the state’s first legal moonshine, and it currently makes the most-awarded craft whisky in South Carolina. Take a free tour and enjoy live music, trivia, and karaoke in the tasting room and bar. In the Ouachita Mountains, Crystal Ridge Distillery is situated in a century-old building in downtown Hot Springs, Arkansas. In addition to moonshine, whisky, bourbon, and vodka, they create canned vodka-soda cocktails in flavors including Spicy Melon-Rita and piña colada.

Courtesy Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery

At Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery in Dahlonega, French winemaking traditions find a home in the North Georgia Mountains. The European-style chateau offers panoramic views and a cafe where salads and charcuterie are paired with cabernet sauvignon, malbec, and Syrah. One of Virginia’s most scenic wineries, Veritas Vineyard & Winery, welcomes visitors to try its red, white, and sparkling options in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Stay overnight at the Farmhouse Inn or in the Barn Cottage. Celebrating its 200th anniversary this year, Yonah Mountain Vineyards in Cleveland, Georgia, is set on 200 acres and offers three cottages for overnight stays. Book a 90-minute Reserve Tasting that includes small-bite pairings, or indulge in one of the frequent multicourse wine dinners.

Courtesy Reece’s Cider Co.

Asheville, North Carolina, is ground zero for Southern craft beer, and Wicked Weed Brewing lives up to the legacy. Its downtown Brew Pub has a full restaurant, beer garden, bottle shop, and two pet-friendly patios. Devil’s Backbone Brewing in Roseland, Virginia, makes award-winning lagers, a line of canned cocktails, and local cider. Sample them at Basecamp Brewpub and hear live music at the outdoor Meadows Bar. In Ellijay, Georgia, Reece’s Cider Co. handcrafts hard ciders using apples from nearby BJ Reece Orchards, owned by the same family. Try flavors such as Ellijay Apple or Poppy’s Pick, and visit on weekends to enjoy food trucks and live music.

Cool Off
Mountain adventures to beat the heat

At 6,684 feet above sea level, Mount Mitchell in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains is the highest point in the eastern United States, and naturally one of the coldest. With trails of all levels, and summer temperatures averaging 56 degrees, it’s the perfect place for hikers who want to ascend to the summit for panoramic views. Take the moderate Balsam Nature Trail through spruce-fir forests set against a dense understory of moss and ferns.

Heading to the North Georgia Mountains? Don’t miss a tubing trip (and dip) in the Chattahoochee River. Book your “Shoot the Hooch” tubing excursion with a local outfitter, who will take you upstream north of Helen before launching you on a two-hour lazy river ride. The chilly Chattahoochee’s year-round 50-degree waters will carry you past thickly wooded banks and colorful granite outcroppings before floating you through Helen’s Bavarian-themed alpine village.

Grab a sweater and venture underground for a one-hour tour of Skyline Caverns in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Maintaining a constant 54 degrees, the caverns feature expansive chambers with an array of stalactites and stalagmites, a 37-foot waterfall, and rare cave-ceiling crystal formations called anthodites. One of these anthodites is an 18-inch specimen known fittingly as the Chandelier; it’s the largest and oldest anthodite on earth.

This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Southbound.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The latest results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reveal troubling declines in academic performance among U.S. students, with twelfth-graders posting lower scores in reading and mathematics and eighth-graders showing setbacks in science.In reading, the 2024 national average for twelfth-graders was three points lower than in 2019, and ten points lower than when the assessment was first administered in 1992. Scores fell across nearly all percentiles, with only the highest-performing students at the 90th percentile holding steady. The percentage of students performing at or above the NAEP Proficient level declined to 35 percent in 2024, compared to 37 percent in 2019, while 32 percent of students scored below the NAEP Basic level.

Mathematics results tell a similar story. The average score for twelfth graders in 2024 dropped three points from 2019 and stood three points lower than in 2005, the year the current trend line began. Scores declined across nearly all percentiles except the 90th. Just 24 percent of twelfth graders scored at or above Proficient in 2024, while 40 percent scored below Basic, up from 37 percent in 2019. Eighth-grade science results also fell sharply. The 2024 average score was four points lower than in 2019, with declines across all five reported percentiles. Thirty-eight percent of eighth graders scored below the Basic level, compared to 33 percent in 2019. Students from nearly every demographic and parental education group saw declines, particularly at the lower percentiles. Confidence in science ability also fell, with fewer students reporting that they “definitely” could perform key science tasks.

Further, African American students remain disproportionately represented among lower performers nationally. Across reading, mathematics, and science, they continue to score below the overall national average, with larger percentages falling below the NAEP Basic level and fewer reaching Proficient or Advanced. Although overall national scores declined in 2024, the long-standing gap between African American students and their White and Asian peers has not narrowed.

The assessments, administered between January and March 2024, covered tens of thousands of students nationwide. Reading and math were given to twelfth graders, while science was assessed at the eighth-grade level. In addition to academic content, students completed questionnaires about learning opportunities, absenteeism, and engagement, data that NAEP officials say may help explain trends. NAEP, often referred to as the Nation’s Report Card, is the largest continuing and nationally representative measure of U.S. student achievement. The results are closely watched by educators, policymakers, and researchers as indicators of how students are faring and where learning gaps are widening.

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Depending on your point of view, the trend of “immersive pop-up experiences” can be fun, nostalgic, educational, expensive, or tacky. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, right? Throughout the past five years, my enthusiasm for these limited-time engagements has waned, but curiosity usually pulls me in. The latest exhibit I ventured to is Bubble Planet.

I was surprised to find it located in the Exhibition Hub on Buford Highway in Doraville, rather than Pullman Yards—the site of previous “experiences” like the Balloon Museum, Van Gogh: the Immersive Experience, and the Queen’s Ball: the Bridgerton Experience. For those who haven’t been, the Exhibition Hub is a large white boxy building with plenty of free surface parking—a good start. Tickets to Bubble Planet can be purchased at the door; however, advance online purchase is recommended. Prices vary but start at about $14 for children and $19 for adults.

My husband and I took our 9-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter on a weekday evening to avoid crowds. It worked. We were able to move between thematic rooms easily, only getting held up by occasional influencer types pausing for the perfect photo. Not knowing exactly what to expect, the kids were curious and open, ready to interact with whatever “bubbles” came their way.

Courtesy of Exhibition Hub

We started in the LED underwater room, where animal projections swim around the ocean (floor). I tried to keep up with a fast-paced turtle, while my son and daughter “rode” a hammerhead. Large placards detail the real-life connection to bubbles here, explaining the carbon cycle and its ties to methane bubbles and global warming. Since we weren’t here on a field trip, we breezed right past.

The pink Balloon Ocean invited infinite playfulness with the kids running in and immediately batting balloons every which way. Important note: Leave all loose items in the car, as my daughter lost her hat not once, but twice. When you eventually escape, you’ll find yourself getting slightly wet with bubbles blowing from the ceiling. It feels a bit magical, and smaller children love it. “It’s raining bubbles!” is a common refrain.

Midway through Bubble Planet, you reach a warehouse-style room with small sets designed for Instagram. Since my kids have been programmed to take a picture of everything, they appreciated being able to stand in a bathtub of rubber ducks, swing in the clouds, and hug giant gummy bears. Free cotton candy comes in three flavor options: strawberry, grape, and blue raspberry. It tastes like childhood and sticky fingers. There’s also a small ball pit to jump in, and a few interactive screen-based games (such as use a pump to blow a bubble on the Mona Lisa), but had this been the end of the experience, I would’ve been disappointed.

Courtesy of Exhibition Hub

However, there’s more. We ran through a maze of mirrors and twinkling lights. (Learn from our mistakes and warn your children to stretch their arms in front of them, lest they walk face-first into a mirror.) We bounced off giant exercise balls. We danced among helium-filled silver balls (cool, but the Summit in New York does it better.)

The kids’ favorite by far was the bubble bath ball pit, an Olympic swimming pool-sized rectangle filled with clear balls and inflatable body parts sticking out where they would in a bathtub. There are cubbies to store belongings, and socks are a must. Kids can easily get lost in the bubbles and mine had a blast trying to climb the inflatable limbs and slide off. Adults can play too, but don’t jump in—it’s too shallow. When it’s time to exit, I found that rolling out sideways worked best, as ungraceful as it is.

Saving the best for last, we nestled ourselves in cushioned “bubble” swings and donned virtual reality headsets for a hot air balloon tour of the “Bubbleverse.” Once I learned to keep my feet off the floor, I was all in, soaring above the clouds, through space, and down into the water. The movement from the swing combined with VR effects for a full body escape.

“Bubble Planet is not just about visuals—it’s about touch, sound, interaction, and emotion,” explains John Zaller is the executive producer of Exhibition Hub. “The experiences invite you to explore, play, and reconnect with your inner child.”

That we did. Is Bubble Planet an absolute can’t miss? No, but it sure elicits joy—and who can’t use more of that?

Courtesy of Exhibition Hub

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Visual Arts

The Art of Minnie Evans
In 1975, folk artist Minnie Evans became one of the first Black artists to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. After her death in 1987, Evans’s artistic nova faded into semiobscurity and she hasn’t been the subject of a major exhibition since the 1990s. Through the years, the High Museum of Art began to collect the work of the North Carolina–born Evans and will showcase more than 100 of her pieces for the exhibit The Lost World: The Art of Minnie Evans that opens November 14 and runs through April 12, 2026. The nationally touring exhibit will return Evans to the Whitney in the summer of 2026.

Atlanta Art Fair
With the success of its inaugural season last year, the Atlanta Art Fair returns September 25–28 at Pullman Yards. The fair received national coverage last year, with Forbes saying, “Long lagging as a destination for visual arts, the Atlanta Art Fair proves the city’s arts community is no longer emerging, it has arrived.” The event featured works from more than 60 art galleries across the country but showcased Atlanta institutions. The opening day alone had 3,500 visitors. This year’s version includes artist talks, performances and installations that will spotlight the diversity of Atlanta’s visual arts community.

SCAD AnimationFest 2025
The popular festival focuses on all things pertaining to digital media, featuring panels and screenings to showcase new animation content. SCAD AnimationFest 2025 features films and television shows from such major networks as CBS, FX, Fox, and Hulu, in addition to work by SCAD student animators. It runs September 25–27 at SCADshow on Spring Street.

Courtesy of Cincinnati Ballet

Dance

Salute to Balanchine
The cofounder of New York City Ballet, George Balanchine was one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th-century and for many set the tone of modern ballet in America. The Atlanta Ballet opens its season September 12–14 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre with two works by the legendary choreographer—Emeralds and Prodigal Son—and a third piece by Tony Award–winning Justin Peck that was inspired by Balanchine. Emeralds is said to reflect the essence of Balanchine’s style, while Prodigal Son is a story of sin and redemption that was first performed in 1929.

The Debut of Wabi Sabi Terminus
In the summer of 2011, dancers from the Atlanta Ballet took over the lawn at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in the debut of the company’s Wabi Sabi outdoor dance troupe. Led by John Welker, then one of Atlanta Ballet’s principal dancers, Wabi Sabi’s programs were consistently enchanting. Instead of being confined to faraway seats, the audience was within steps of the dancers in the scenic outdoor vistas of the Botanical Garden and Serenbe. The troupe was shut down after Welker left Atlanta Ballet in 2016 and helped form Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre. Welker has reformed the troupe as Wabi Sabi Terminus and it debuts this fall with the same aesthetic as the original: outdoor performances with fresh choreographic voices. There are performances at the Atlanta Botanical Garden October 30 and November 1–2.

Return of the Count
Walk into the ancient library at Ireland’s Trinity College Dublin, and you may initially be puzzled by displays devoted to noted Irish author Abraham Stoker. Who? Then you get it: Ah, Bram Stoker, right. His classic work, Dracula, set the standard for Gothic horror fiction when it was published in 1897, and it has inspired countless stage, screen, opera, and dance versions. The Guinness Book of World Records even named Count Dracula as the most portrayed fictional character in history. Just in time for Halloween, the Georgia Ballet will perform a new version of Dracula October 23–26 at the Jennie T. Anderson Theatre in Marietta. The production, choreographed by Kentucky Ballet Theatre artistic director Norbe Risco, is tailored for an adult audience.

Theater

The Alliance Explores a Blues Legend
The legend of Robert Johnson going to a crossroads in the dark of a Mississippi night to sell his soul with the devil for the ability to play the guitar is a keystone of blues and rock ‘n’ roll mythology. One of his signature songs, “Me and the Devil Blues,” is often interpreted as a reference to that fateful night and Johnson’s impact has continued long past his brief life. His songs were discovered and recorded by such rock legends as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Eric Clapton. Covenant, coming to the Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage October 8 through November 9, revolves around a blues musician who is based on Johnson. The New York Times described the play as a “striking Southern gothic” full of terror and supernatural suggestions.

The Producers
Before his comedy film classics Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, Mel Brooks received an Oscar for The Producers, one of the strangest (and funniest) dark comedies ever produced. In the film, a down-on-his-luck theater producer and his accountant come up with a scheme to deliberately produce a Broadway flop and bilk investors . . . except, much to their chagrin, the play is a hit. Brooks (with cowriter Thomas Meehan) later turned the movie into a Broadway musical that received a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards and has been a popular regional theater production ever since. The City Springs Theatre Company opens its 2025–26 season with The Producers, running September 5–21.

The Return of Tennessee Williams
The Glass Menagerie debuted in 1944 and catapulted a young playwright named Tennessee Williams to fame. When it reached Broadway the next year, the production received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play. Williams’s plays were steeped in the wet heat of the South, and The Glass Menagerie is no exception. Directed by Artistic Director Matt Tourney with dramaturgy by Associate Artistic Director Addae Moon, Theatrical Outfit promises a “bold new vision” of the venerable play. The production runs October 29 through November 23.

Photograph by Scott Suchman

Music

Fanfare for the Common Man
Music director and rising classical music star Nathalie Stutzmann has brought a certain je ne sais quoi to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, garnering international press in the process. Watching Stutzmann conduct the orchestra is half the fun of attending a performance; she sometimes seems to cajole the musical notes out of the orchestra with her swaying body movements. The ASO opens the 2025–26 season October 3–5 with Aaron Copeland’s master work “Fanfare for the Common Man,” written as the United States entered World War II. The guest soloist, cellist Alisa Weilerstein, performs Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto, and the evening will conclude with Richard Strauss’s tone poem Ein Heldenleben.

La traviata
When audiences jeered at the premiere performance of La traviata (“The Fallen Woman”) in 1853 composer Giuseppe Verdi famously wrote to a friend, “La traviata last night a failure. Was the fault mine or the singers’? Time will tell.” Time has told (it was indeed the original casting) and La traviata overcame that shaky start to become one of opera’s most enduring and iconic works. The Atlanta Opera opens its new season with La traviata, the tragic story of passion and true love. Armenian soprano Mané Galoyan makes her Atlanta debut in the lead role of Violetta. The show runs November 8–16.

Jazz at All Saints
After a successful debut season, the Jazz at All Saints series returns this fall. Set in the sanctuary of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Midtown, the series has been a welcome addition to the city’s jazz scene. Curated by artistic director Virginia Schenck (who hosts artist talks after each performance), the second season begins September 12 with the quartet led by drummer (and Georgia State University professor) Robert Boone Jr. The concert will celebrate the 100th birthday of legendary drummer Max Roach, one of the pioneers of bebop. Along with his teaching duties and his band, Boone holds the drummer chair in the current version of the Count Basie Orchestra.

This article appears in our September 2025 issue.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

As the 2025 NFL season kicks off, a new report from Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) shows the massive divide between billionaire team owners and the fans who pack stadiums and stream games from home. The study estimates that the average NFL franchise owner pulls in about $600 million annually, or 7,000 times the average fan’s income of $85,000.

That divide will only grow under the Republican tax-and-spending plan enacted this summer. According to the Tax Policy Center, the wealthiest 0.1% of households, where every NFL owner resides, will enjoy average tax cuts exceeding $286,000 in 2026. Meanwhile, typical fans will see modest cuts erased by higher consumer costs driven by Donald Trump’s tariffs, leaving them about $700 poorer each year. “Economic inequality and price gouging are as much on display in the new NFL season as peak athleticism, acrobatic catches, and explosive runs,” said David Kass, ATF’s executive director. “The fans who loyally support their favorite teams through good years and bad, putting up with steadily rising ticket prices, streaming costs, and concession-stand gouging, have little in common with the billionaires who own their franchises. It’s the owners who will benefit from Trump-GOP economic policies in the form of huge tax cuts for billionaires and economic elites like themselves, while fans will lose money from a combination of cuts to vital public services like Medicaid and SNAP and Trump’s chaotic tariff regime”.

Rising Costs for Fans

The ATF study shows the growing financial burden for fans. Average ticket prices across the league now sit at $125, with some teams charging more than double that. In Detroit, the average ticket runs $254, while in Las Vegas it’s $243. Even basic stadium staples cost more: beers top $12 in San Francisco, hot dogs go for $8.49 in Los Angeles, and tariffs on Canadian pork and Mexican beer add another $2.23 and $2.29, respectively, to game-day concessions. Beyond stadium walls, costs to follow the sport from home have soared. Fans must now subscribe to multiple streaming services to watch every game, a bill that can exceed $1,000 annually.

Billionaire Owners and Tax Breaks

Billionaires dominate NFL ownership. The mean average wealth of team owners is $10.6 billion. Rob Walton of the Denver Broncos, heir to the Walmart fortune, holds an estimated $77.4 billion in net worth. ATF noted that 29 owners collectively stand to gain tax breaks large enough to buy more than 66,000 game-day tickets. The financial gulf also extends to players, who earn an average of $860,000 annually with careers lasting only about three years. Income players make is taxed at up to 37%, while owners’ investment income faces only a 20% top rate. IRS records reviewed by ProPublica previously showed that some billionaire NFL owners paid effective tax rates in the low teens, or even single digits, despite billions in income.

A Different Model in Green Bay

Billionaire owners are not essential to a team’s success. The Green Bay Packers, the NFL’s only publicly owned franchise, are operated by more than 500,000 fan-shareholders. No individual can own more than 4% of shares, and ownership yields no dividends. Yet the Packers are among the most profitable and competitive teams in the league, valued at $6.3 billion and ranking 12th in revenue in 2024.

Policy Debate

Democratic leaders have offered proposals aimed at narrowing the divide. Former President Joe Biden called for taxing investment income at the same rates as wages, while Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders has proposed lowering the estate-tax exemption to ensure massive family fortunes contribute more. Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden also has pushed for an annual tax on billionaires’ unrealized gains. “The contrast between billionaire owners and working-class fans couldn’t be clearer,” Kass stated. “The tax code should work for everyone, not just the wealthiest few.”

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Family fun is easy to find in St. Pete-Clearwater. Enjoy mother nature’s very own sandbox with over 35 miles of sugar white-sand beaches or swim in the warm, emerald Gulf waters. With everything from nature trails, (friendly) pirate ships and three-story waterslides, St. Pete-Clearwater is perfect for families. Make memories with a beautiful beach backdrop and warm, local hospitality that welcomes you.

Whether you’re traveling with your own family or extended family or even groups of families, you’ll find a warm welcome and exceptional accommodations. Nancy Cimney is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Opal Collection, a collection of luxury hotels and resorts. She’s also a long-time resident of the area and understands why St. Pete-Clearwater has families coming back year after year and even generation after generation. She also happens to work near her favorite local beach, “We love families on Clearwater Beach. The Opal properties are destinations in themselves, but it’s a great beach town. It’s safe. You’ve got the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which I love, and Pier 60 which has its own sunset festival every day. There’s always something going on.” Offering accommodations for every type of family, The Opal Collection has several properties that are interconnected, giving families lots of choice for their stay and a host of amenities. “The Opal Sands and Opal Sol have an abundance of room types, many of them are suites that can be connected.  While the Sandpearl is located directly on the beach, so that pool and beach experience is very easy. It also has spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens.” No matter which property you choose, you and your family have access to the amenities at each resort which translates into four pools, ten dining options, two spas and a whole lot of fun. 

While the beach may bring you in, there’s so much more for families to do and see. Come aboard a “real” pirate ship on Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise. Enjoy a round of mini golf or a friendly family pickleball tournament. Spend the day at one of the local waterparks, or plan an outdoor adventure at one of the many state parks that offer everything from walking trails, kayaking and even the opportunity to spot local wildlife. Visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to see some of the local underwater residents and learn about their natural habitats. 

Cimney has a list of her top five favorite family activities in the area that include:

Sunset Celebration

“I’m partial, but the sunset celebration at Sand Pearl is a staple everybody should experience, no matter where you’re staying. Every night, at the exact moment that the sun hits the waterline, Ridley, the mascot for the Sandpearl kids club, chooses a lucky little to help him ring the sunset bell.”

Spa Day

“Any of the Opal spas are going to be on my top list of things to do.”

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

“It’s not your typical aquarium. It’s a rescue, rehabilitation and release facility, so they really protect the environment. Manatees, dolphins and turtles that have been injured are rehabbed and released.”

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

“I would also put a Philly spring training game on the list. And if you don’t come during spring training, the Threshers play there year-round.”

The Dalí Museum

“The Dalí celebrates the life and art of Salvador Dali. The first time I went to the museum, I was blown away by the amazing collection and the life size interactive art.”

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A Jamaican girls’ school has reportedly banned students from wearing styled edges or baby hairs.

In a post shared on Instagram, St. Andrew High School for Girls (SAHS), one of Jamaica’s most respected secondary institutions, issued a notice stating that styled edges were now prohibited on campus.

“Please be advised that the wearing of ‘edges’ is now officially banned on campus,” the announcement reads. “Remember, curtains belong in the house, not on foreheads! Let’s keep our looks neat and school-ready. We appreciate your cooperation in upholding our standards of excellence as we continue honoring the legacy and inspiring the future

SAHS was founded in 1925 by the Presbyterian and Wesleyan Methodist churches. The institution has long been known for academic rigor and discipline, boasting alumni who have gone on to become leaders in law, medicine, politics, and business. SAHS’ motto, “Life More Abundant,” refers to its mission of nurturing students holistically.

Several social media users argued that the new ban on edges clashes with the school’s mission.

“So now edges aren’t classy?? 👀🤔 Chilli would like to have a word!!!! 😩,” one social media user wrote.

“How does edges stop the girls from looking neat and ready for school?” another person questioned.

Supporters of the policy said the school is encouraging students to focus on academics and discipline over hairstyles.

“A lot of yall are unfamiliar with how strict high school and the school dress codes are in the Caribbean and it shows 😂 this is very regular,” one Instagram user commented.

“Please remember and understand that Jamaica is an island with its own norms. At that school, academics is their focus. It’s one of the best high schools in the island for a reason. I can respect that the U.S. is different and allows children to express themselves at school through fashion, but our culture requires children to focus on learning and sports, nothing else,” another person said.

The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.

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The City of Atlanta in partnership with Invest Atlanta and Savi Provisions announced the opening of Azalea Fresh Market, a first-of-its-kind municipal grocery store located in Downtown Atlanta. The store officially opened to the public at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, September 8. In that first day, Azalea welcomed 728 customers and brought in several thousands of dollars in revenue.

Azalea Fresh Market is the result of a collaborative effort between the City of Atlanta, Invest Atlanta, Savi Provisions, the Independent Grocers Alliance and community members who identified a pressing need for more affordable, fresh and healthy food options in Atlanta. With 14 percent of Atlanta experiencing food insecurity, this initiative provides access to nutritious food in a USDA designated low-income, low-access area while also fostering economic growth and job creation within the community. The store is located in the historic Olympia Building, now repurposed for this novel use.

“Our Administration made a commitment to expand access to fresh food across the city, and Azalea Market—in the heart of Downtown—is a significant milestone in ensuring healthy, whole neighborhoods; and this is just the beginning,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who also serves as Invest Atlanta Board Chair. “This grocery store is not just a place to shop—it is a community hub that will serve neighborhood residents, support Georgia grown products and promote healthier lifestyles as we continue to revitalize Downtown.”

The design of the store and its operations was a collaborative effort between Invest Atlanta, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Savi Provisions, creative agency Cohere and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Students and faculty at SCAD’s Atlanta campus also contributed to developing the concept and its name. More than 60 talented students from 10 of SCAD’s top-ranked degree programs contributed to this transformational project.

“The opening of the city’s first municipal grocery store will not only enhance access to fresh, affordable food but also stimulate local job growth and continue to invigorate the Downtown economy,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “Slated to serve more than 5,500 people per month, the estimated total economic impact from this store is over $6 million a year. This initiative is another example of Atlanta leading the way in addressing food access and food insecurity with a new grocery store model that will foster sustainable community development and enrich the lives of local residents.”

Spanning two levels, Azalea Fresh Market will offer a wide range of products, including fresh produce, dairy, meats, and pantry staples, with a focus on sourcing from local farmers and suppliers to support the regional economy. In addition, the store’s upstairs level will feature an array of delicious, prepared food, hand rolled sushi from Atlanta’s High Roller Sushi, and an in-store coffee shop by locally owned Dope Coffee.

“At Savi Provisions, we’ve always believed in giving back – but this initiative goes beyond one-time efforts and cements our commitment to being an Atlanta institution that truly serves and partners with community,” says Paul Nair, founder and CEO of Savi Provisions and the owner/operator of Azalea Fresh Market. “We look forward to growing the Azalea Fresh Market brand and working together with stakeholders across the city to make this a truly accessible and homegrown concept.” Savi Provisions currently has 24 storefronts across Georgia and North Carolina and was founded by Nair in 2009/

“The Independent Grocers Alliance is honored to work alongside Savi Provisions, Invest Atlanta and the City of Atlanta to bring this vision to life,” said John Ross, CEO of IGA, the retail consulting group partnering with Invest Atlanta to address food access through Technical Assistance for independent retailers. “This initiative reflects the very best of what independent grocers can do when given the right support. Large chains may bypass these neighborhoods, but with the right guidance and resources, independents like Savi can step in to provide access to fresh, affordable food and become true community anchors. We’re proud to contribute our expertise to help ensure Azalea Fresh Market thrives as both a neighborhood grocery and a model for addressing food insecurity across Atlanta and beyond.”

Real time updates on store events and offerings can be found at azaleamarket.com and on Instagram (@azaleafreshmarket).

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) slammed Donald Trump after another apparent connection between the president and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was unearthed this week.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump reportedly penned a 2003 birthday message to Epstein in a book given to the convicted sex offender. The letter was made public on Monday (September 8) by the House Oversight Committee. Despite the evidence, the White House has denied Trump’s involvement with the message.

“Here’s the deal,” Crockett told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in response to the denial. “We have a president that is sitting in office that obviously had a very close relationship with arguably one of the worst pedophiles that we have ever seen in this country.”

Crockett accused Trump of lying about his relationship with Epstein, who died in 2019, and condemned the White House’s refusal to acknowledge the book’s authenticity.

“As American people, we should all be in unison, no matter if you’re a Democrat, Republican or independent, when it comes down to cracking down on something like this,” the Texas congresswoman said. “This literally is so big. As someone who practiced criminal law… I have never seen a case this big.”

When asked about the signature in the book and Trump’s denial, Crockett bluntly stated, “He’s consistent. He lies.”

“This isn’t something that came from a random Democratic something. This came from the [Epstein] estate,” she added.

Crockett argued the document’s authenticity is clear, noting that if it were fake, the forger would have needed “incredible foresight” to create such detail before Trump’s presidency.

“Who else signs like that?” Crockett said of the handwriting. “It is a signature of signatures… I don’t think it takes an expert to know that that is his signature.”

The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.

City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Atlanta Fashion Week Announce Independent,
a New Digital Talk Series Spotlighting Independent Designers and Creatives

The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) and Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW) are excited to announce the launch of Independent—a new digital talk series celebrating the city’s thriving community of independent fashion designers and creatives.

Debuting in September on OCA’s new podcast platform, For the Culture, Independent will serve as a storytelling hub for the designers, visual artists, and entrepreneurs shaping the future of fashion in Atlanta and beyond.

Produced in collaboration with Atlanta Fashion Week, the limited series will feature candid conversations with designers from ATLFW’s 2025 lineup alongside other trailblazing creatives. Each episode will dive into the artistry, business strategies and cultural impact of independent brands while amplifying the voices driving Atlanta’s reputation as a dynamic hub for fashion and cultural innovation.

The initiative will deliver co-branded content across ATLFW and OCA’s digital platforms, ensuring year-round engagement with stories that highlight Atlanta’s creative spirit. Together, the series underscores the city’s role as a global crossroads for culture, commerce and creativity — a place where independent voices not only emerge but thrive.

“Atlanta is a city of makers, dreamers and doers — a place where independent creatives are redefining what is possible,” said Adriane Jefferson, Executive Director of the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “With Independent, we are not only celebrating Atlanta Fashion Week, but also uplifting the designers, artists and entrepreneurs who make our city a beacon for fashion and cultural innovation.”

“Independent is more than a content series — it is a movement,” said Angela Watts, Founder of Atlanta Fashion Week. “We are committed to showcasing the real stories of designers and artists who are building from the ground up, on their own terms. Partnering with the City of Atlanta allows us to amplify these voices and show the world why Atlanta is the place to watch in fashion and culture.”

The first episodes of Independent will premiere ahead of Atlanta Fashion Week’s October 2–5, 2025 schedule, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the designers and brands featured on this year’s runways. Through digital storytelling and community-driven engagement, the series aims to expand the cultural conversation around fashion while elevating Atlanta’s independent creative community.

About Atlanta Fashion Week (ATLFW)

Atlanta Fashion Week, owned and produced by RAGTRADE ATLANTA, is a discovery and launch platform for fashion disruptors. ATLFW connects emerging and established designers with industry opportunities through retail partnerships, immersive experiences, and revenue-generating business opportunities. Its mission is to position Atlanta as a global fashion hub while fostering innovation, community, and economic growth.

About the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA)
The Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs supports Atlanta’s thriving arts ecosystem through programs, partnerships, and investments that empower artists, celebrate cultural diversity, and expand access to the arts for all residents. OCA is committed to ensuring that culture remains a vital and accessible part of Atlanta’s identity and future.

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Whenever he speaks to a group of young people, they invariably wonder why they’re there, how quickly they can leave, and who exactly they’re looking at.

“My name is John Thomas Johnson,” the stranger informs them with startling authority, especially for someone of advanced age, “and I want you to know one thing.”

To engage captive audiences of jaded teenagers, he always begins the same.

“The civil rights movement was the most important thing of the 20th century,” J.T. Johnson says, his deep, gravelly voice intimidating in a way that demands respect. “And you guys—I’m not trying to put you down—but y’all know very little of anything about it.”

He doesn’t expect to be recognized. No schools or streets are named for him. He isn’t famous, though arguably he should be.

“J.T. was a personal assistant to Martin Luther King and Ralph Abernathy,” says Andrew Young, “and he was a friend of mine.”

Young, a former United Nations ambassador, congressman, and twice-elected mayor of Atlanta, is often identified as the last close associate of Martin Luther King Jr. still alive—but he points out the glaring omission.

“The movement was very much like an iceberg,” says Young. “There was a beautiful part at the top that you can see, but the frozen waters underneath were really the solid base. And J.T. Johnson was part of the solid base of the movement.”

Johnson was a leader of the Ground Crew, a sort of special forces unit within Dr. Martin Luther King’s organization the SCLC—the Southern Christian Leadership Council—and he ran operations in the streets of nearly every city where the movement played out.

“Dr. King was a genius who knew where people needed to be,” Johnson says. “This man had a way of convincing you and motivating you.”

Johnson’s undeserved obscurity doesn’t bother him—most of the time.

“Whatever you did in the civil rights movement, it was important,” Johnson says. “The janitor who turned off the lights at night after we left the church, they could have got killed. Especially the people who let us stay in their houses.”

With the trim, fit body of an athlete, Johnson was viewed as a confident physical presence during the movement. His appearance has remained so deceptively youthful and vigorous that until very recently, no one would guess, or believe, he’s 87. Now, on the mend after surgery, he’s lost some weight, and his advanced age is finally beginning to show.

He is keenly aware that Gen Z youths are angry and see him as an interloper in the 21st century, someone who has overstayed his welcome on their planet, an old man out of touch with the difficulties they face, and that among each other they likely dismiss him with an easy slur: Boomer.

He’s been called worse.

Johnson isn’t a Boomer, though. He was born in 1937, into the so-called Silent Generation, a label that doesn’t fit him at all. When he’s silent, Johnson appears to be simmering, a serious man with important things on his mind and not enough time for anything foolish. And seldom if ever has he been reluctant to speak out—not during the civil rights movement and certainly not while discussing it.

“That’s the first thing I’m going to talk to you about, if you want me to talk,” Johnson tells every young group. “Now, the other part of this is that I will listen to what you have to say—and you have to share.”

As it turns out, teenagers have plenty to say—and much of it is harrowing.

• • •

“They share a lot of suffering,” Johnson says, speaking quietly during a recent interview at his modest home in Cascade Heights, where he’s lived since 2003. “You’d be surprised what they tell you.”

Young people open up to Johnson about things like gun violence; grief over the deaths of classmates and friends; experiences with ketamine, fentanyl, and alcohol; sexual harassment, molestation, and assault; their own parents and problems at home; poverty; and the seeming inevitability of gang membership.

“Kids are raising themselves,” Johnson says. “And the gang folks know it, so they just grab them. They make them think that they’re their best friend in the world.”

He is adept at hearing what they have to say, at least partially because of his role in the movement.

“A lot of the foot soldiers were very young guys with a whole lot of energy, but they needed to be directed so they didn’t just go hog wild,” recalls Dr. Barbara Emerson, the oldest daughter of the brilliant but unpredictable provocateur Hosea Williams, a top King strategist and field general.

“J.T. was like a sergeant,” Emerson says. “He was an intermediary for the generals, and that was necessary to refine their decisions and make it all work for the foot soldiers. He was good at directing their raw energy.”

• • •

In the summer of 1962, Johnson was living happily in Harlem, New York, with no intention of ever returning to Georgia or the segregated South. He oversaw shipping and receiving at a manufacturing company, had spending money in his wallet, and loved New York’s thriving Black culture—and, of course, its women.

“I was having me a ball,” Johnson says.

One evening, he turned on The Huntley-Brinkley Report and was stunned to see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with large numbers of people who were being shoved around and beaten—people he knew.

“I said, ‘Oh, no. I’m going to end this fight,’” Johnson recalls.

Within two days, he packed everything, located a ride, and was on his way back to Albany, Georgia.

In the growing civil rights movement, his hometown had become ground zero—one of the first cities to protest with mass marches. “Albany’s half crazy,” Johnson says, dead serious and not even cracking a smile. “They didn’t fear nothing.”

“Dr. King was a genius who knew where people needed to be,” Johnson says. “This man had a way of convincing you and motivating you.”

Johnson was born an hour or so away in tiny Montezuma, where his grandfather, a Morehouse graduate, owned a small shoe shop. A local dry-cleaning operation was the other African American business nearby.

“They were the only two Blacks in that racist town that had anything down there,” he says.

His parents separated when he was in the fifth grade. Johnson says, without elaboration, that his mother and grandfather were alcoholics. He decided to leave his sister, Lucille, in the care of an aunt in Valdosta and went to stay with his father, Robert Ford Johnson, who had relocated to Albany to work in construction.

Soon after, however, his father landed “a serious contract” in Titusville, Florida. “So, he said, ‘We’re moving to Florida,’” Johnson remembers. “I said, “We ain’t moving. You’re moving to Florida. Not me. You have taught me everything I need to know. I can take care of myself in this house.’ I said, ‘You just go head on.’ So, he did.”

A money order for $40 would arrive every Sunday morning from Florida. “My daddy, he’d come home some weekends and hang out with me,” Johnson says, but mostly he was self-sufficient. For about 18 months, Johnson lived at home alone while he completed middle school. He became a Boy Scout, sang in the choir, and excelled at sports, especially football.

Courtesy of Bob Fitch photography archive, © Stanford University

“I was a great football player,” Johnson says. “I ain’t lying, now.”

Johnson may have been one of the greatest football players Georgia ever produced, but there’s no way to know for sure. Games at Black high schools weren’t covered in newspapers, record books weren’t kept, and few who saw him play are still alive.

Rutha Mae Harris is one.

“He was the best running back, I would say, in the entire state,” declares Harris, whose memories of him on the field remain vivid. She graduated from Monroe High School a year behind Johnson and considers him a brother. A retired teacher still living in Albany, Harris was active in the local civil rights movement and became one of the original Freedom Singers, a quartet that performed at mass meetings around the country.

Her mother, the no-nonsense widow of a Baptist minister, had four boys and four girls, including Rutha Mae, but decided to give Johnson a real home. He was in the eighth grade when she informed him, “Get rid of what you can get rid of, because you’re moving over here.”

Katie B. Harris, whom Johnson knew as “Little Mom,” would become a major influence in his life. “She was a different kind of lady,” Johnson says, with a slight chuckle.

After that, he lived at 623 Whitney Street, an address that was known in the community and commanded respect, for good reason. “They didn’t answer to White people,” Johnson says.

So, neither did he.

“I didn’t grow up nonviolent,” Johnson says. “But I ain’t never had a fight in my life—with nobody. I carried myself in a way nobody’s gonna bother me.”

Handsome, with flecks of gray in his hair even in high school, Johnson was always a snappy dresser. When he was recruited to spend a summer of backbreaking labor on a tobacco farm in Connecticut, fashionable men’s stores in the North caught his attention, and he came home with herringbone suits and several pairs of handcrafted Edmonds shoes. He returned to the farm in Hartford every year for more hard work and new attire.

“Mr. Debonaire,” Rutha Mae Harris recalls. “He was a very distinguished young man. Humble, outgoing, trustworthy, and smart.”

Scoutmaster Millard F. Adams, a Presbyterian minister, was a mentor to Johnson, enabling him to attend a Boy Scout jamboree in Cimarron, New Mexico, where he explored trails on horseback and camped overnight in fear of mountain lions. On the way, he stayed at the Butler Street YMCA in Atlanta.

Johnson was captain of the football team at Monroe High when Adams warned him school officials were planning to determine which teachers were members of the NAACP and fire them. So Johnson organized fellow players, cheerleaders, and other students. Hearing of plans for a walkout in protest, the officials backed off.

He enjoyed growing up in Albany, he says, but knew most doors were closed to him. He was getting nowhere, but he was getting there fast—very, very fast.

“There’s no limit to how many yards I gained in football games because I’d score five, six touchdowns every Friday night,” Johnson says. “We were great athletes because we didn’t have nothing else to do.”

He was told that legendary Georgia Tech head coach Bobby Dodd said that he wished he could recruit J.T. Johnson. “I would have liked to go to Georgia Tech myself, but that was not going to happen,” Johnson says. After graduating, he played a year at Albany State University, a Black college, before visiting Harlem and deciding to stay.

“He got his ass out of Albany,” says former civil rights activist Al Lingo, a White Protestant minister who lives in Atlanta and now teaches Buddhist meditation. “He was an informed Northern idealogue. He was exposed to something other than the South.”

Lingo had just graduated from seminary when he decided to do whatever he could to help the movement in any way he could—and his life became inextricably connected to Johnson’s when a publicity stunt helped change the course of history.

• • •

Never formally introduced, J.T. Johnson and Al Lingo met in a motel swimming pool in the United States’ oldest city one very hot day in the summer of 1964.

“J.T. set in motion the very firm commitment to John Kennedy’s bill on public accommodations,” Lingo says.

Not long before his assassination, President John F. Kennedy introduced a bill to prohibit discrimination based on race, but that proposed legislation faced determined resistance throughout the South, with powerful “Dixiecrats” attempting to block it with the longest filibuster in U.S. Senate history.

Hosea Williams had recruited Johnson from the Albany movement to join the SCLC’s Ground Crew in St. Augustine, Florida, and for weeks they and local demonstrators were attacked daily by law enforcement and the Ku Klux Klan—with virtually no press coverage.

“They beat us morning, noon, and night,” Johnson says. “They never lightened up. There was always blood in the streets, blood in the church, when we got back at night.”

On June 9, Andrew Young was violently ambushed, beaten, and repeatedly kicked while leading a nonviolent march. Until then, King had no intention of visiting St. Augustine at such a critical juncture. He arrived on June 10 with a show of force from the SCLC, the media right behind. Almost simultaneously, the 72-day filibuster ended, clearing the way for a vote but by no means ensuring passage.

To stir things up in Washington, King and his close friend and associate Ralph David Abernathy were arrested and jailed for attempting to enter the restaurant at St. Augustine’s Monson Motor Lodge to buy coffee on June 11.

A week later, Johnson was standing with Williams at the bayfront, directly across from the motel. “I’ll tell you what,” Williams said. “We got to do something to get some attention here.”

An idea suddenly occurred to Johnson.

Courtesy of Horace Cort/Associated Press

“The Monson’s got a swimming pool right up by the highway,” he observed—and together, they cooked up a plan to “integrate” the pool. Johnson easily recruited a few young Black volunteers to join him. Williams, meanwhile, went to find someone White.

Lingo had just arrived. He’d intended to join the voter drive in Mississippi but first dropped off a friend in Jacksonville, where he heard about what was going on in St. Augustine and headed there instead.

Williams asked Lingo and another White volunteer to check in to the motel on June 18, change into swimming trunks, and head for the pool. Behind the low-cut hedges, waiting to swim as Lingo’s invited guests, Johnson was hiding with his group—and television and newspaper photographers.

“I jumped over first,” Johnson says. “I waited on the girls, and when they got there, we all dived in.”

James Brock, manager of the Monson, initially had been distracted by protesters on the other side of the building. But when he realized Black and White people were swimming together in his pool, he seemed to lose his mind.

Brock ran around the side of the pool, wildly pouring muriatic acid into the water. Further chaos ensued as a uniformed police officer jumped into the pool to physically remove and arrest the swimmers. The acid was diluted in pool water and didn’t harm them—but the hate-filled images were damning.

“An absolute gift,” says Lingo. “It so happens that J.T. and I were in that pool.”

Footage of the melee led newscasts that night, and dramatic photos appeared on front pages around the world.

Johnson, Lingo, and the others had been roughed up while being arrested and were still in jail cells the next day, wearing only swimsuits, while President Lyndon Johnson demanded action.

“Our whole foreign policy and everything else can go to hell over this,” the president said in a phone conversation on June 19. Two weeks later, he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law.

J.T. Johnson has always credited James Brock. “Had it not been for him, I’m not so sure that we would have gotten that bill,” Johnson says. “Sometimes, your enemy can be your best friend.”

• • •

Less than a year later, Johnson played a role in events that led to another landmark piece of legislation, the Voting Rights Act of 1965—signed into law 60 years ago on August 6.

That spring, on what came to be called “Bloody Sunday,” nonviolent marchers led by Hosea Williams and John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, expecting to be turned around or arrested. Instead, they were savagely attacked by state troopers and local police.

Johnson had been sent ahead to Montgomery to organize the actual Selma-to-Montgomery march that would begin two weeks after Bloody Sunday, which drew people from around the world to take part in an epic trek that spanned 55 miles and required five days to complete.

“You don’t need to just pass through this world. Live in it. You have to make a contribution.”

At its conclusion, Johnson was one of the last people to see civil rights martyr Viola Liuzzo, a White housewife from Detroit who eagerly volunteered to help.

“She wanted to be part of this freedom movement, and she was very, very dedicated,” Johnson says. “We had a lot of respect for her.”

In the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Johnson ran into Liuzzo as she was about to drive Leroy Moton, a young Black volunteer, back to Selma. Alarmed, Johnson tried to talk her out of it, then summoned Hosea Williams to help, but neither of them could stop her.

“We couldn’t take her car keys,” Johnson says. “Maybe we should have, but we didn’t.”

She was shot and killed hours later by three members of the Ku Klux Klan.

• • •

Johnson was in Memphis on April 4, 1968, and had just left the Lorraine Motel when he stopped for gas, and a service station attendant asked if he’d heard the news. In disbelief, he turned around and sped back.

It was true. Martin Luther King had been killed by an assassin.

“He was our leader and we loved him,” Johnson explains simply.

Ralph Abernathy took over the SCLC and did his best to carry on the work of his closest friend—choosing Johnson as his chief aide. “Everybody hit the road running their own way,” Johnson says. “We could never get back in action.”

He maintains active membership in the SCLC to this day, cherishing the organization for what it originally was and what he believes it still could be. But he laments, “We don’t have civil rights leaders anymore.”

For him, the movement never ended.

“J.T. stuck with the movement until today,” Andrew Young says of his longtime friend. “He was one of the heroes who donated his life, contributed his life, gave his life, to the task of trying to make America the dream of our forefathers.”

Johnson still believes in the power of nonviolence as a means of social change, and he believes that its message will resonate, even with young people in 2025—if it is taught.

“They don’t hear anything about Martin Luther King or Gandhi in high school,” Johnson says. “They hear nothing about nonviolence.”

To facilitate what he believes is a critical dialogue with disaffected youth, he founded Take 2 America Foundation, but has struggled to obtain funding and community support for the nonprofit—in part, he believes, because his name isn’t better known.

“It was not how much you did, but whether the press was there when you did it,” says Young. “If Martin Luther King was not in town, the chances are the press was not there.”

But Johnson continues the fight; the message is too important. “You don’t need to just pass through this world,” Johnson likes to tell young people. “Live in it. You have to make a contribution.”

[Full disclosure: the author is communications director at the Andrew J. Young Foundation and is the producer of the Andrew Young Presents documentary series.]

This article appears in our August 2025 issue.

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