50 Years Later: Remembering Atlanta’s First Restaurant to Desegregate

On Tuesday, June 25th, the Balzer Theater at Herren's and others will commemorate the voluntary  desegregation fifty years ago of Herren's restaurant–the first in Atlanta to do so.  

Bill Balzer is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Theatrical Outfit, which is now housed at the site of the former restaurant.  Balzer was also a long-time friend of the late Ed Negri, the man who owned and operated Herren's for more than forty years at 84 Luckie Street.  In a conversation with WABE's Steve Goss, Mr. Balzer shared his memories of Ed Negri, and the decision to desegregate that legendary restaurant…