Mayor Maynard Jackson: A Photo Meditation

Activists, actors, and married couple Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee with Maynard Jackson, at a service in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his birthday at Ebenezer Baptist Church on January 15, 1976. 

This photo exhibit is a collaboration between the Alliance Theatre, Atlanta History Center, and photographers Jim Alexander and Susan J. “Sue” Ross. It was created to honor the legacy of Mayor Maynard Jackson in conjunction with the production of Pearl Cleage’s Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard. 

Maynard Holbrook Jackson Jr. (1938-2003) was a man of all people with a larger-than-life personality and legacy. A charismatic and transformative leader, he was the first African American mayor of Atlanta and the first African American mayor of a major Southern city. He served three terms as mayor from 1974-1982 and 1990-1994. Mayor Jackson grappled with many issues during his three terms including economics, urban renewal, public housing, crime, public transportation, the sanitation worker’s strike, and the Atlanta missing and murdered children crisis. Despite many challenges, he worked tirelessly to highlight positive aspects of Atlanta. His many accomplishments include expanding the airport and laying the foundation to bring the 1996 Olympics to Atlanta. Mayor Jackson bolstered Atlanta as a transportation hub, and as such, it is now known globally as a top international city, with the busiest airport in the world. Furthermore, Mayor Jackson worked to even the playing field for Black business owners and contractors in the city, and he worked towards more equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities for minority communities in Atlanta. 

This exhibit, which contains photos of Mayor Jackson in multiple settings, demonstrates his dynamic leadership and allows viewers to further meditate on his impact and legacy on the 50th anniversary of his inaugural term. In the spirit of Mayor Maynard Jackson, we hope this collaborative effort serves as an example of the power of working together for the betterment of the Atlanta community.  

Performances of Pearl Cleage's Something Moving: A Meditation on Maynard will take place on the Hertz Stage, August 2–11, 2024.