Atlanta in 50 Objects
A pink pig and a renegade cow. A movie prop and a Coke bottle. A Pulitzer Prize–winning book and a Nobel Prize–winning icon.
How do you tell the story of Atlanta in 50 objects? We decided the best experts were Atlantans themselves—residents who cheer the Braves and rue I–285 rush-hour traffic, who understand how Civil War losses and Civil Rights victories together helped forge the city’s unique identity. Atlanta History Center asked the public to submit what objects they think best represent their town. The parameters were broad: an object could also be a person, a place, an institution, or an idea. After receiving hundreds of submissions, History Center staff assembled a collection of fifty pieces that represent the themes identified by the public. In addition to items from our own collections, we have partnered with many local institutions and individuals to gather artifacts from around the city to tell this community–driven story.
LGBTQ
As one of the most welcoming American cities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, Atlanta is recognized as a city where equality is promoted and celebrated.
Atlanta History Center holds an important collection of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals, film, and artifacts documenting LGBTQ history in Atlanta.
In 1971, the Georgia Gay Liberation Front led the first organized march from Peachtree Street to Piedmont Park with about one-hundred participants. The annual event occurred until recently in late June to mark the anniversary of the June 28, 1969, police raid and uprising outside the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village. The Stonewall Riot served as a catalyst for the gay liberation movement in the United States.
Today, Atlanta’s Pride Parade occurs in the cooler month of October to coincide with National Coming Out Day. The event typically attracts as many as 200,000 participants. According the LGBTQ media outlet Georgia Voice, “Atlanta is epicenter of the LGBT South. Home to a vibrant gay community … it’s easy to see why The Advocate dubbed Atlanta as America’s ‘gayest city’ of 2010.
Header Image: Gay Pride parade on Peachtree Street, 2011. Courtesy of Atlanta Pride, Stan Fong, photographer