Poor Atlanta: Poverty, Race, and the Limits of Sunbelt Development

Poor Atlanta examines the poor people's campaigns in Atlanta in the 1960s and 1970s, which aimed to prevent urban violence, staunch disinvestment, check white flight, and amplify Atlanta's importance as a business and transportation hub. Poor families insisted that their lives and living conditions should improve, and antipoverty organizing occurred with regularity from 1964 through 1976.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 15 January 2023
Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Poor Atlanta examines the campaigns of the poor in Atlanta during the 1960s and 1970s, which were closely linked to the city's efforts to build a Sunbelt metropolis. These initiatives aimed to address urban violence, prevent disinvestment, curb white flight, and enhance Atlanta's reputation as a business and transportation hub. Urban leaders promoted the Forward Atlanta program, which aimed to sell the city like a product. However, poor families insisted that their lives and living conditions should also improve. While these campaigns were often overlooked, they provided a consistent and sometimes vocal critique of inequality and Atlanta's uneven urban development.

LeeAnn B. Lands' book, Poor Atlanta, sheds light on the fact that antipoverty organizing (including direct action campaigns, legal actions, lobbying, and other forms of activism) occurred regularly in Atlanta from 1964 to 1976, despite being overshadowed by the Black freedom movement. This study stands out as one of the few citywide examinations of antipoverty organizing in late twentieth-century America.

The campaigns of the poor in Atlanta during the 1960s and 1970s were multifaceted and included a range of strategies. Direct action campaigns, such as protests and sit-ins, were used to draw attention to issues such as housing discrimination and poor working conditions. Legal actions were also taken to challenge policies that perpetuated poverty, such as eviction laws and welfare regulations. Lobbying efforts were made to advocate for policies that would address the root causes of poverty, such as job training and education programs.

One of the key themes of Poor Atlanta is the intersectionality of poverty and other forms of oppression. Lands argues that poor families faced not only economic inequality but also discrimination based on race, gender, and sexuality. For example, black women faced double discrimination as they were often subjected to both sexism and racism in the workplace and in their housing options.

Another important aspect of the book is the role that community organizations played in antipoverty organizing. Lands highlights the work of organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the Community Action Network (CAN), which provided leadership and resources to poor families and communities. These organizations worked to build grassroots power and mobilize people around issues of poverty and inequality.

Despite the successes of these campaigns, Poor Atlanta also highlights the challenges faced by poor families and communities. One of the most significant challenges was the lack of political representation and power. Poor families and communities were often marginalized and excluded from the decision-making processes that affected their lives. This led to a lack of access to resources and opportunities and perpetuated the cycle of poverty.

Another challenge was the resistance from some community leaders and business interests. Some leaders saw antipoverty organizing as a threat to their interests and tried to undermine or suppress these campaigns. This resistance was often based on fears of economic disruption and the loss of white privilege.

Despite these challenges, Poor Atlanta demonstrates the resilience and determination of poor families and communities in the face of adversity. Lands highlights the ways in which these families and communities organized themselves and built networks of support to address their needs. This included forming cooperatives, creating community gardens, and advocating for better public transportation and healthcare.

In conclusion, Poor Atlanta provides a valuable insight into the campaigns of the poor in Atlanta during the 1960s and 1970s. It demonstrates the ways in which these campaigns intersected with broader social and political movements and the challenges faced by poor families and communities. The book highlights the importance of community organizing and grassroots power in addressing poverty and inequality and provides a valuable contribution to the study of urban politics and social policy.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780820363288