Race and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Atlanta - (Fred W. Morrison Series in Southern Studies) 2nd Edition by Ronald H Bayor (Paperback)

About the Book

Race and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Atlanta

Book Synopsis

Atlanta is often cited as a prime example of a progressive New South metropolis in which blacks and whites have forged "a city too busy to hate." But Ronald Bayor argues that the city continues to bear the indelible mark of racial bias. Offering the first comprehensive history of Atlanta race relations, he discusses the impact of race on the physical and institutional development of the city from the end of the Civil War through the mayorship of Andrew Young in the 1980s. Bayor shows the extent of inequality, investigates the gap between rhetoric and reality, and presents a fresh analysis of the legacy of segregation and race relations for the American urban environment.
Bayor explores frequently ignored public policy issues through the lens of race--including hospital care, highway placement and development, police and fire services, schools, and park use, as well as housing patterns and employment. He finds that racial concerns profoundly shaped Atlanta, as they did other American cities. Drawing on oral interviews and written records, Bayor traces how Atlanta's black leaders and their community have responded to the impact of race on local urban development. By bringing long-term urban development into a discussion of race, Bayor provides an element missing in usual analyses of cities and race relations.

Review Quotes

A significant historical account of deplorable, and often appalling, developments.

"Mississippi Quarterly"

Extremely well-researched, masterfully argued, and, notwithstanding the abundant detail, easily read.

"Journal of American Ethnic History"

"A significant historical account of deplorable, and often appalling, developments.

"Mississippi Quarterly""

"Extremely well-researched, masterfully argued, and, notwithstanding the abundant detail, easily read.

"Journal of American Ethnic History""

A marvelous study of the role of race in the development of Atlanta.

"Journal of Social History"

A valuable contribution to urban and African-American history.

"Reviews in American History"

Energized with insights and anecdotal information . . . . Ron Bayor's book is a must-read for those who study the history of this city.

"Atlanta History"

The definitive case study of race relations and public policy in twentieth-century Atlanta. It is extremely well-researched, masterfully argued, and, notwithstanding the abundant detail, easily read. ("Journal of American Ethnic History)

About the Author

Ronald H. Bayor is professor of history at the Georgia Institute of Technology and editor of the Journal of American Ethnic History. His books include Neighbors in Conflict: The Irish, Germans, Jews, and Italians of New York City, 1929-1941 and Fiorello La Guardia: Ethnicity and Reform.