On this edition of “Closer Look,” Cheneé Joseph, CEO and president of Historic Development District Corporation (HDDC), discusses the history of Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood and the continued fight to preserve and keep it thriving today.
In the 1940s and ’50s, Sweet Auburn was an economic haven for Black-owned businesses, newspapers, churches, nightclubs and some eateries.
“Sweet Auburn, I like to say, is the original beloved community,” said Joseph. “At the time, it was one of the least desirable places to live, and yet, as typically what black people do, we took a place and made it into something amazing. Black people were able to thrive and live, and most importantly, we worked together.”
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