Remembering Sam Massell

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WESTSIDE VILLAGE SANDY SPRINGS

BUCKHEAD

Remembering Sam Massell, a tireless advocate for his beloved Buckhead

Sam Massell. (Courtesy of Ben Rollins Photography)

BY AMY WENK AND COLLIN KELLEY

Former Atlanta mayor and one of Buckhead’s greatest champions, Sam Massell, died March 13. He was 94.

Massell helmed the city from 1970 to 1974 and is credited with establishing MARTA. Not only did he get the state legislature to okay a sales tax referendum to fund the agency, but he worked to convince voters to pass the one-cent sales tax to pay for the transit system.

“MARTA would not exist but for the dedication and persistence of Massell, who convinced the Georgia Legislature, and later voters, to approve the local option sales tax that continues to fund MARTA to this day,” the MARTA board said in a statement. “His political antics in the early days of the MARTA referendum are legendary, as are his grassroots efforts riding the bus to communities and explaining the sales tax on a chalkboard. MARTA was fortunate to have such an ardent support and we remain forever in his debt. Our deepest sympathies go to his wife Sandra, his children, extended family, and his countless friends.”

A native of Atlanta, Massell also had a successful career in real estate and as a travel agent, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in commercial science from the University of Georgia and a law degree from Atlanta Law School.

But his love for the city – and especially the Buckhead community – led him to a life of advocacy and promotion. In 1988, he became the founding president of the Buckhead Coalition, a position he retired from in 2020.

“Sam was a tireless advocate for both the Buckhead community and the city of Atlanta,” said Jim Durrett, president of the Buckhead Coalition and executive director of the Buckhead Community Improvement District. “As mayor of Atlanta in the early 1970s, he did truly meaningful work to diversify city government, appointing people of color and women to positions of significant responsibility.”

Durrett added that after Andrew Young lost his first bid to U.S. Congress in 1970, Massell appointed him to a position in the Atlanta government “that gave Andy the reputation and name recognition that led to his ultimate election to Congress.”

Massell was widely regarded as the “Mayor of Buckhead” for his involvement in the community. He supported the extension of the Ga. 400 highway through Buckhead, as well as the creation of the Buckhead Community Improvement District, which funds transportation and public safety projects and programs.

“Sam’s impact on our city was immeasurable,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “His time as mayor made history in so many ways. He was Atlanta’s first and only Jewish mayor, he laid the groundwork for MARTA—which connected neighborhoods and residents across our city—and he paved the way for better representation of women and minority participation in city government.”

Anna Roach, executive director of the Atlanta Regional Commission, called Massell a visionary leader who shaped the region.

“He understood the importance of looking beyond the borders of his own jurisdiction to tackle big issues from a wider, regional lens, such as his critical support of regional mass transit that helped bring MARTA to life,” Roach said. “We are indebted to his life of service and sustained passion for the Atlanta region.”

Developer Tom Cousins and Massell break ground on the Omni Arena. (Courtesy of GSU Digital Collection/AJC)

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