Atlanta, GA – August 6, 2024 – The Atlanta Business League (ABL) is proud to announce the receipt of a $1.5 million grant, funded in part by the African American Civil Rights grant program through the Historic Preservation Fund, as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior.
This significant grant will support ABL’s ongoing efforts to preserve and promote African American history, culture, and civil rights heritage within the Atlanta community. The funding will be utilized to enhance and renovate the historic Ashby Street Theater. The theater represents an important step in the struggle for equality, providing African Americans with a first-class venue to watch movies without being segregated from white patrons in inferior balcony seats.
The 300-seat venue opened in 1934 during the Jim Crow era and was among the first to serve Atlanta's African American community. The theater will be renovated to become a key element in a new Westside Business Center anchored by the Atlanta Business League and a Black Business Hall of Fame. The funding of this project ensures that the rich legacy of African American civil rights in Atlanta is honored and remembered for generations to come.
“We are honored to receive this grant from the National Park Service. Funding will enable us to continue our mission of preserving the history and contributions of African Americans in Atlanta. It is a crucial step in acknowledging and commemorating the pivotal role that our community has played in the fight for civil rights,” said Leona Barr-Davenport, President & CEO – Atlanta Business League.
The African American Civil Rights grant program is dedicated to preserving sites and stories associated with the African American struggle for equality. Through this program, the National Park Service aims to support local projects highlighting and protecting the history of civil rights movements across the United States.
Established in 1933, the Atlanta Business League has been at the forefront of advocating for the economic empowerment and development of African American businesses and professionals in Atlanta. With this grant, ABL will be able to further its efforts in fostering a greater understanding of the civil rights movement's historical significance and ongoing impact within the local community.
For more information about the Atlanta Business League and its initiatives, please visit www.atlantabusinessleague.org Leona Barr-Davenport, President & CEO or Ryan Wilson, Board Chair are available for interviews.
