Morning Metro: MLK Photo Tour of Atlanta, Image Issues for DeKalb, and a Cat’s 200 Mile Trek
Decatur Metro | January 21, 2013- Jeoff Davis revisits places that connect Martin Luther King Jr. to Atlanta [CL]
- Image troubles mount for DeKalb County [AJC]
- MARTA fare increase possible this year [AJC]
- Roswell eyes the Beltline, plans connected loop [Curbed]
- A cat’s 200 mile trek home leaves scientists guessing [NYT]
Martin Luther King’s connection with Decatur? I recently talked to a good friend of the DeKalb judge that heard the probation violation case which led to King’s four month prison sentence. He told me that contrary to reports, the judge said he and Kennedy had a pleasant conversation over the phone concerning the case and that there was never any doubt that King would be released. I believe the judge was Oscar Mitchell and that he lived here in DeKalb until the late 1980s. He was quite a historical figure!
It would be interesting to find out where the case was actually heard and if possible, where the players in the drama stood or sat during the trial. Did King walk up the front, back, or side stairs of the building? Are there any pictures of King in Decatur? Is there a trial transcript?
I believe the only monument (loosely speaking) to this event is a brick in the south courtyard of the old courthouse dedicated to Martin Luther King.
Most people living here today have no idea what it was like in old Decatur, with segregated neighborhoods, playgrounds, water fountains, schools, and restaurants. I was just a small boy but I remember vividly one of the signs of segregation, “Colored Only” water fountains at the courthouse. One of the great adventures for me was going with my mom to a home near the projects where she would drop off the Catholic school uniforms to be ironed (in the early Sixties, my mom had six kids attending Catholic schools- thats a lot of uniforms!). I would help carry one of the huge baskets of damp shirts, pants, blouses, and skirts onto sagging old porch that was full of, well just stuff! I remember seeing a young woman in the living room ironing clothes and watching T.V. Another woman, quite friendly as I recall, would exchange pleasantries with my mom and take my basket and we would go. A few says later, we would go back and everything would be on hangers and ready to wear the next day. Can you imagine anything like this taking place today?
Happy MLK Day Decatur!
I enjoy Mr. B’s trips down memory lane. We have only been in Decatur (and in the Atlanta metro area) 13.5 years, so it’s fun to read about how, to use his phrasing, “old Decatur” used to be. Keep the stories coming, Chris. I’m learning a lot about this great town in which we live.
If you would like more detail on the two separate DeKalb County arrests of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., please read the article written by our former archivist, Ben Zdencanovic in our Winter 2010 newsletter.
http://dekalbhistory.org/documents/Winter2010Newsletterwebsite.pdf
The Civil and Criminal Court referenced in the article was located on the second floor of what was called the DeKalb County Building. It was at 430 N. McDonough with a side entrance on West Trinity and has been torn down.