Crowded pews inside of Big Bethel AME Church on Auburn Avenue, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanat Voice
The pulpit at Big Bethel AME Church has always been filled with public speakers of note. On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 30, the church welcomed all but one of Atlanta’s living Black mayors to speak on the “Soul of Atlanta.”
Former Atlanta Mayor’s Ambassador Andrew Young, William “Bill” Campbell, Shirley Franklin, Kasim Reed, and current Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, along with Big Bethel AME Church Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine, spoke about how to further defend Atlanta’s legacy of “equality and inclusion.”
“This is only the kickoff; this is not the end,” Augustine said.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Days before the City of Atlanta and Fulton County will elect or re-elect a mayor and a city council president, the pews inside Big Bethel were full of people looking to hear what luminaries like Young had to say about Atlanta’s legacy.
“This is where it all began,” said Young, a preacher in many ways. “I think we have accidentally, with the guidance of God, and the officials you all have elected, we have become one of the best cities in the world.”
Young, the second Black mayor in the city’s history, shared stories about how Atlantans, both Black and white, got together to make the city better. Those stories included the first Black Mayor of Atlanta, the late Maynard Jackson, who broke business barriers by securing citywide contracts. Young also used the city securing the 1996 Summer Olympics bid in 1990 as an example of everyone working together for a common goal.
“I want to thank you for believing in God’s message that was put in your heart and mine,” Young said.
Dickens also spoke, as did Valerie Jackson, Mayor Jackson’s widow. Mrs. Jackson said she knows the late mayor would be proud of the direction the city has taken since the three-term mayor passed away.
“We will not allow the principle of fairness and justice to be blown back,” Mrs. Jackson said.
“We will not allow the principle of fairness and justice to be blown back,” Mrs. Valerie Jackson (above) said.
After telling a story about Mayor Jackson’s decision to steer more airport contracts to Black vendors, Mrs. Jackson said, “Maynard’s policies of inclusion became a model, not just for the state, but for the nation.”
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms was not in attendance.
Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam (above, center) was one of several mayors that spoke to the media during the opening press conference of the African American Mayors Association conference in Atlanta on April 24, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
The mayor of Tracy, California, looked around the grand ballroom inside the Omni Atlanta Hotel and smiled. She was 2,200 miles away from the city she is leading, but felt right at home at the same time. “I love the connectivity,” said Nancy Young.
The first Black mayor and female mayor in the history of the northern California city of just under 100,000 residents, Young is no stranger to Atlanta, her son attended Morehouse College some years back, so she knew she was definitely returning to Atlanta for this special occasion. “And I have been talking to other mayors in California about coming to the conference too,” she said.
Asked what she is looking to accomplish while she is in town and among dozens of other Black mayors from cities both big (Atlanta, New York City, Memphis, and St. Louis, to name a few) and small (Palmetto, Georgia, Miramar, Florida, and Earle, Arkansas, pop. 1,800) Young said she wanted to learn more about how to get larger businesses to connect with and invest in smaller businesses. Tracy, located in San Joaquin County, is 60 miles east of major tech hub San Francisco and 60 miles west of agribusiness and food manufacturing giant Sacramento. Tracy’s population is just under 6% Black, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.
“I’m trying to find out new ideas and new ways to bring back home to our residents,” said Young, who is in the fourth year of her first term as mayor. She served the city council for a decade before running for mayor.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
The African American Mayors Association Conference (AAMA) is taking place in Atlanta this week at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park. Black mayors from across the country gathered in the heart of downtown Atlanta to exchange ideas, fellowship and in the words of Mount Vernon, New York Mayor and AAMA President Shawn Patterson Howard, to be in “the only place where you are going to see this collection of mayors.”
Some of the speakers at this year’s conference have been making national news, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, the first and only female mayor in the city’s history, were also on hand. Former Phoenix Suns star and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former AAMA president, was also in attendance.
The State of Our City opening press conference took place Wednesday, April 24 with current Patterson Howard, incoming AAMA President and Montgomery (AL) Mayor Steven Reed, Little Rock (AR) Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. and Miramar (FL) Mayor Wayne Messam all taking turns speaking on the behalves of American cities that are being led by Black men and women.
Montgomery (AL) Mayor Steven Reed. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Following the press conference, Palmetto (GA) Mayor Teresa Thomas-Smith, that city’s first Black and female leader, said she was at the conference to “tap into what my peers have already been doing around the country.”
Thomas-Smith, an Atlanta native and graduate of Benjamin E. Mays High School, was elected on Nov. 7, 2023 and said she brought Atlanta-style politics to that town of just over 5,000 residents for that election.
“I ran a campaign like I was running for governor,” she said.
The first Black and Black female mayor in the history of Jonesboro, Georgia was also in attendance Wednesday night. Dr. Donya L. Sartor, a longtime educator and former Jonesboro city council member, was elected on the same day as Thomas-Smith. This is her first AAMA and said it could not be taking place in a better location.
“It’s coming full-circle with Maynard Jackson being so pivotal,” Sartor explained. “With all of the different local and national elections coming up, this is an opportunity for all of us to fellowship and share ideas.”
Jackson’s time as the first Black mayor of Atlanta was an ever-present theme throughout the opening press conference and will be through the week, according to Patterson Howard.
“You can’t move into the future until you understand the past and how the foundation was laid,” she explained. “Atlanta is who it is because of his vision.”
Mount Vernon, New York Mayor and AAMA President Shawn Patterson Howard (above) said this is “the only place where you are going to see this collection of mayors.” Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Little Rock (AR) mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said he and his fellow mayors are in Atlanta to revive, reset and resurrect.
Montgomery (AL) Mayor Steven Reed said the purpose of the conference is to bring change to their respective cities. “It’s about working hard to bring about the types of change all of the residents of our cities want to see,” he said. “We are here today to reset.”
There were several panels planned for the four-day conference that will take place through Saturday that include discussion topics ranging from social policy and justice to protecting our democracy via civic engagement.
There is also a community town hall scheduled for Saturday morning inside the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College that will include former Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and National Urban League President and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial.
On Wednesday, Memphis Mayor Paul Young and St. Louis Mayor, Tishaura Jones, spoke about efforts to combat and reduce violence in their respective cities. Jones, who is in the third year of her first term as mayor, said homicides are down by 40%. She credited a three-pronged plan that is taking place in St. Louis: prevention, intervention and enforcement.
“We are not defunding the police, we are recruiting police,” Jones said.
Miramar (FL) Mayor Wayne Messam, one of the scheduled speakers for the opening press conference, spoke about how DEI has been used to disregard and disrespect certain Black mayors around America. “DEI is the new boogeyman and it’s impacting us all. As AAMA, we must stay vigilant and stay focussed.”
A video plays before Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens took the stage inside the Woodruff Arts Center on Monday, Mar. 25, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The auditorium inside the Woodruff Arts Center filled quickly after 8 a.m. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens was going to give his annual State of the City Business Address. Coming out onto the stage to Usher’s “Yeah!”, Dickens immediately thanked the three former Atlanta mayors in attendance; Ambassador Andrew Young, Bill Campbell, and Shirley Franklin.
Dickens took a moment to thank the numerous government officials, City of Atlanta employees, his family and close friends. He also took time to thank the family of former Atlanta Mayor and legendary civil leader Maynard Jackson, the first Black mayor in the city’s history, who were also in attendance. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Jackson being elected.
“I’m blessed to have a talented group of people on my team,” Dickens said.
Governor Brian Kemp was not in attendance, but was also acknowledged by Dickens for his work leading the state.
“The state of our city is strong,” said Dickens at the beginning of his address. He listed a couple of reasons why he believes the city is in as good of fiscal and professional shape as it has ever been. Dickens listed the services provided to citizens, effective government, the city’s strong AA+ credit rating, and how there is a better relationship between the city and state governments.
He even had time to joke about the never-ending potholes blanketing the metro Atlanta area. Dickens said more than 23,000 potholes were filled during his time in office, including on DeKalb and Cascade avenues, and on West Paces Ferry Rd. All very busy streets, particularly during rush hour traffic and on weekends. This drew a massive amount of applause from the capacity crowd.
“All of these things are a testament to our city’s forward momentum,” Dickens said.
That forward momentum includes the reduction in violent crime which has continuously been highlighted by both the Mayor’s office and the Atlanta Police Department (APD). Dickens credited the creation of units like APD’s CARE unit and the nightlife division, which began in 2022.
Both housing and finding constructive things to do for and with the city’s youth have been bedrock’s of Dickens’ tenure as mayor. He asked a man named George to come to the stage. The former truck driver, who now needs a wheelchair to get around, fell on hard times following multiple strokes and wound up homeless. George now lives at The Melody, a community of shipping container homes that the City recently debuted as a part of a homelessness initiative. Dickens has a goal of having 20,000 units of affordable housing built and The Melody is one way to inch closer to that number.
“I’m thankful to say now George has a key to a place he can call home,” Dickens said. “We’re not done yet. We’re going to have some more Melodies across Atlanta.”
On the eve of an election year Dickens pulled out all of the stops during this year’s State of the City address. There are goals to build a MARTA station with rail and access to the Beltline on the Southside. Dickens also mentioned plans to build three infill MARTA stations throughout Atlanta. The mayor called MARTA “underutilized, in part because we don’t have enough stations located where our residents need them most.”
The diversity of the city was on full display with the morning’s invocation, prayer, and benediction being performed by Rabbi Peter Berg from The Temple, Rev. Dr. Dock Hollingsworth, Senior Pastor at Second Ponce De Leon Baptist Church, and Imam Plemon T. El-Amin of Atkanta Masjid of Al-Islam.
Prior to Dickens taking the stage, Woodruff Arts Center President and CEO Hala Moduelmog, Carol Tome’, UPS CEO & Atlanta Committee for Progress Chair, and The Coca-Cola Company Chairman & CEO James Quincey. A performance from a pair of spoken word artists from the Morehouse College Theatre Ensemble also took place during the event.
During Tome’s time behind the microphone, she echoed the Mayor’s “team project” ethos for the city. “We all have to have a role to play in the Mayor’s key initiatives,” she said.
