During Maynard Jackson’s tenure as the first Black mayor of Atlanta, the city experienced great growth and perseverance despite strife and controversy. And there to witness it were two photographers, Sue Ross and James Alexander, who were busy capturing the experience of Black Atlantans through their lenses.
The exhibition, titled “Phoenix Reborn: A Photographic Reflection of Atlanta City Government’s Past 50 Years” includes many once-in-a-lifetime moments captured by these prolific photographers.
During Jackson’s two terms as mayor, the city experienced strikes, new public works projects such as park and freeway improvements, as well as the implementation of the MARTA rail lines. Jackson was also mayor during the harrowing Atlanta Child Murders. The citizens of Atlanta went through a lot, but through it all, the community showed just how resilient they are.
“We are two photographers who have viewed the course of Atlanta history over the last 50 years through parallel perspectives, and we wanted to show some of that to the public today,” said Sue Ross in an interview. Ross considers Alexander to be her mentor, and so was honored to present her works alongside his in this showcase.
Documenting civil rights efforts of Atlanta’s government to reinstate equal business opportunity programs, meetings of influential leaders, and other significant moments in our city’s history, this exhibition offers a glimpse into the people and movements from the past half-century that made Atlanta the vibrant city it is today.
“After Dr. King was assassinated, I decided I wanted to document this for a while, so I said to Gordon Parks, ‘Gordon, I am going to document Black people for ten years,’” said Alexander in an interview. Parks cautioned trying to make it as a photographer meant that he would starve, but Alexander was dedicated to making it work regardless.
Jackson encouraged Alexander to move to Atlanta and contribute to the thriving Black arts scene in the city, and so he did with his wife. He fell in love with the city and has stayed here ever since. “Maynard has been my idol… him and my mentor Gordon Parks. And so, here we are.”
“We are privileged to have a catalog of Mayor Maynard Jackson’s legacy spanning the past 50 years through the remarkable lenses of Sue Ross and James Alexander,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.“We anticipate that visitors to this gallery will be captivated as they explore the many moments from his tenure as Mayor.”
Mayor Andre Dickens was present during the reception for this historic retrospective exhibition which has been presented as part of a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of Mayor Maynard Jackson’s inauguration.
“Mayor Maynard Jackson’s vision extended beyond politics—he recognized the power of art to shape a city’s soul. As we celebrate his legacy, we also honor his foresight in establishing Atlanta’s first Bureau of Cultural Affairs. Through art, we continue to uplift our communities and commemorate our history,” said Mayor Dickens.
“Fifty years later his legacy is still seen and still felt. As a mayor, I still feel it because I have big shoes to fill,” said Dickens, who laughed as he described instances of people comparing his efforts to that of Mayor Jackson. Dickens continued, applauding Jackson’s implementation of the first Bureau of Cultural Affairs.
“He recognized that a city like Atlanta really needed to make a major commitment to the arts, and he did, and we still do.” The Bureau of Cultural Affairs became the Office of Cultural Affairs, which today is run by Russell Love.
“Phoenix Reborn” will remain on display at Atlanta City Hall until March 15, 2024. More information about the year-long celebration of Mayor Maynard Jackson can be found on the official website.