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This chapter focuses on the political awakening of black Americans in Atlanta. In 1921, the decisive impact of the black vote signaled the reawakening of African American voters in Atlanta and their return to electoral politics. However this reawakening was deeply rooted in the deep emotional sense of the black communities. This sustained renewal of black interest and a systematic return to electoral politics was spurred by the roles played by the African Americans during the municipal elections of 1932 and 1946 wherein they displayed their voting power and their political influence on the electoral process and in Atlantan politics. After acquiring their right to suffrage and their right to educating themselves, the black voters had a new important decisive role in elections—a decisive role wherein black leaders and white politicians saw a clear image of the forthcoming electoral and political opportunities for the blacks.

This chapter discusses the emergence of a new black American political influence in the political scene of Atlanta. This chapter begins with a chronicle of the political career of William Berry Hartsfield who saw the relevance of the abolishment of the Democratic white primacy and the potential impact and influence of the black voters. Following his instinct regarding the growing political influence of the blacks, Hartsfield became a champion for blacks and granted the long-desired access to law enforcement for blacks. This hiring of black policemen and officers led to an increase in the number of registered black voters who as a result had a decisive influence in elections. With their significant increase in the number of voters and their rapidly growing influence and decisive role in elections, some blacks used this to get involved with politics through which they gained significant governmental seats. While their political achievements were a source of pride, these achievements did little to improve the lives of the blacks. As the bleak situation of the blacks proliferated after their growing political influence, the blacks pushed for the abolishment of racial discrimination and the creation of equality. With the pending decision of the Supreme Court on the abolishment of segregation schemes, the blacks, particularly black leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., gained strength to forward the cause and the welfare of the black community.