Tag: WERD

Small, independent museums like the Madame C.J. Walker Museum dot Atlanta, commemorating underrepresented or unique histories and art. They operate out of storefronts or houses and largely rely on a team of one, who keeps the museum afloat through donations or their day job. At the Walker Museum, Ricci de Forest charges a $7 admission, collects donations, and will sometimes cut hair right there in the museum to help keep things running.

From Black-owned financial institutions and restaurants to Ebenezer Baptist Church, the NAACP, and the legendary Royal Peacock nightclub, Atlanta’s Black history makers have always made their way to Auburn Avenue. So it should be no surprise that, tucked away in a small brick building on that iconic street, is the site of the first Black-owned radio station in the United States, WERD.

Our city is infamous for demolishing its past. Much of that rep is deserved, but the Atlanta Preservation Center’s annual Phoenix Flies showcases the exceptions—saved structures and restored spaces. Over 16 days, participants can choose from 150 tours staged with APC’s 80 partners.