Today’s the 50th anniversary of the election of Atlanta’s first Black mayor, the late Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. The Atlanta Voice frequently featured the three-time mayor on its front page and in its pages over the years, and we are doing so again in a special section.

On October 16, 1973, Maynard Jackson was elected the first African-American mayor of the City of Atlanta. Maynard Holbrook Jackson was an American attorney and politician who served as the 54th mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, from 1974 to 1982 and again as the city’s 56th mayor from 1990 to 1994, making him the second longest-serving mayor in the city’s history. He is notable for his public works projects, primarily the new Maynard Jackson International terminal at the Atlanta airport and significantly increasing minority business participants in the city. The Atlanta Voice is proud to present in pictures and dialog with Jackson leading up to and following this historical event in Atlanta.

Your loyal support has enabled us to do so for 58 years and counting. As a non-profit newsroom, we could not exist without you. By purchasing this limited edition commemorative shirt, you are supporting the local black media, The Atlanta Voice and giving voice to the voiceless without fear or favor, with honesty, integrity, and truth.