The Atlanta Voice Honors Maynard Jackson E-Edition

theatlantavoice.com • October 13 - October 19, 2023 • Page 15

Maynard Jackson Elected Mayor 50 Years Ago - 1973

THE ATLANTA

Georgia’s Largest Circulated Black Newspaper VOL. 8 NO. 42

October 20, 1973

25 Cents

Photo provided by the Jackson family.

Excerpts from the March 17, 1973 and March 24, 1973 edition of The Atlanta Voice two part series titled “If I Were Mayor”, an exclusive interview with then Vice Mayor Maynard Jackson.

Reported by Bill Cutler and photographed

By Edmnd Marshal.

Tuesday night in the Grand Ballroom of the Sheraton Biltmore Hotel, Maynard Jackson stands victorious at being elected Mayor of the City of Atlanta. With him is his wife, Bonnie. Mayor Jackson has the distinction of being the first Black elected Mayor of a major Southern City. Photo by Ron Loving

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Page 16 • October 13 - October 19, 2023 • theatlantavoice.com

Remembering Maynard

BY VALERIE RICHARDSON JACKSON

I

n 1968, Maynard Jackson wedged his fourteen and a half size shoe into the door of politics and dared to challenge Herman Talmadge for the U.S. Senate seat.

Although he lost the state, he did carry Atlanta and discovered his most important purpose in life. On October 16,1973 Maynard became the first black mayor of Atlanta.

In his first inaugural address Maynard spoke of Atlanta under new leadership.

He emphasized all Atlanta, black and white, rich and poor, could and must work together in a new union. Full citizen participation would be the reality of his administration. He quoted Mayor Hartsfield “Atlanta is a city too busy to hate“, but he questioned whether we were a city “too busy to love”. Too busy to act on complicated issues; just talking the talk, not walking the walk. Maynard did more than talk. His mentor, Benjamin E. Mays said, “If you believe in something, you must act on it; if you don’t act on it, it’s not a belief, it’s just an opinion”. In that first inaugural speech, Maynard defined love as “action”. He believed love should include "the Book, the Ballot and the Buck"; education, voting, and access to economic opportunities. He proved it could be done and the city could still be successful. Actually, he proved that it had to be done if we were to be successful. Facing exaggerated fears of whites and exaggerated expectations of blacks, he knew we needed a different model to serve our city based on a new political vision, the politics of inclusion. Not to diminish white Atlanta, but to take Atlanta to a position of racial and economic fairness.

Most of what Maynard "believed" came to pass. Before he took office, in a city that was 51% black, less than one half of one percent of city contracts went to minorities. Before he left, it was over 35%, creating an airport that became the nation’s model for cities, states and federal government for minorities and women in business. He had laid the groundwork for a great international city that would host the '96 Olympics. Other impactful initiatives included Neighborhood Planning Units, allowing them a voice in their future, and the Bureau of Cultural Affairs, providing food for the soul, like the Atlanta Jazz festival, one of the country's largest, free music festivals.

Mayor Maynard Jackson and wife Valerie Richardson Jackson.

Several years after Maynard passed, an elderly man ran up to me in the airport, gushing with praise for Maynard enabling small black businesses at the airport. "Before your husband became mayor, I was just a "shoeshine boy" but he made it possible for me to become a "businessman". Not only was this man able to compete for the shoeshine business, his dignity and self respect were enhanced.

In Maynard's first term, he would hold "People's Day", a day citizens were invited to visit the mayor, without appointment, to share their concerns

or questions. Once an elderly woman waited patiently for her turn to enter Maynard's office. Once inside, Maynard asked her "What can I do for you today, ma'am?" After a moment, she said "Nothing". "I just wanted to see how it looked to have a black mayor in that seat". Maynard laughed and asked, "Well, how do I look?" She answered, "Fine. You look just fine".

Maynard and I met midway through his first term. Because of my community work in Richmond, Va. and my corporate marketing experience in New York, he often asked my advice

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Photo provided by the Jackson family.

on issues, like the sanitation workers strike and whether to run in '76 for Andrew Young's seat in Congress (after he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.). I advised "No" on running for Congress, saying he had made a commitment to Atlanta and needed to fulfill it as long as possible, given how hard he and his supporters had worked for him to be elected. After we were married, I became an informal "Advisor to the Mayor's office of Economic Development", once obtaining a commitment from the Minister of Industries in Lagos, Nigeria for a trade delegation between the two sister cities.

Our pillow talk often consisted of politics. I believe Maynard's purpose in life was to be a "Statesman", a skilled, experienced, and respected politician.

I believe much of my purpose was to help enable him to be so.

Atlanta, inevitably, was destined for a black mayor. Thank goodness the first one was a profound model of integrity, vision, brilliance and determination. One who set a high bar for all future mayors; one who was eulogized by U.S. Presidents Carter and Clinton. Maynard was a man of dignity, full of humor, joy, love and romance....which is what I personally miss most about him.

theatlantavoice.com • October 13 - October 19, 2023 • Page 17

Below are excerpts from the March 17, 1973 and March 24, 1973 edition of The Atlanta Voice two part series titled “If I Were Mayor”, an exclusive interview with then Vice Mayor Maynard Jackson. Reported by Bill Cutler and photographed by Edmund Marshall.

This article is an exerpt from the October 24, 1998, edition of The Atlanta Voice Maynard Jackson awarded Best Individual Oral Argument at the National Moot Court Competition, 1963. Photo provided by the Jackson family.

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Mayor Maynard Jackson and Arthur Ashe, 1974. Photo provided by the Jackson family. Photo provided by the Jackson family.

ABOVE: This article is an exerpt from the July 19, 2003, edition of The Atlanta Voice Mayor Maynard Jackson, 1979.

Photo provided by the Jackson family.

Mayor Maynard Jackson, Atlanta City Hall, 1976. Photo provided by the Jackson family.

Mayor Maynard Jackson and Jon Ossoff, 1989. Photo provided by the Jackson family.

Fifty years ago, on October 16, 1973, Maynard Jackson was elected the first African-American mayor of the City of Atlanta. The Atlanta Voice is proud to present in pictures and dialog with Jackson leading up to and follow-ing this historical event in Atlanta. Accessing our archives through Newspapers.com lets us share our history in real-time. The Atlanta Voice continues to chronicle our community’s challenges, achievements, and everyday life. It is our DNA to do. 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. Thanks, and with your continued support, we will be here for 58 years. The Atlanta Voice serves the African-American community, giving voice to the voiceless without fear or favor, with honesty, integrity, and truth.

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