As Atlanta continues to grow, understanding the city’s rich history and stories rooted in its neighborhoods remains essential. As part of Phoenix Flies: A Celebration of Atlanta’s Historic Sites, Dr. Rhana Gittens Wheeler, assistant professor of communication studies, explored those stories in the city’s West End through a discussion from her book Ghosts of Atlanta: Cultural Gentrification of the Black Mecca. This event marked the first public presentation of the chapter focused on gentrification in the West End and invited attendees to examine its effects.
“Ghosts of Atlanta” examines the threats and losses of Atlanta’s Black culture amid decades of urban renewal and gentrification in in-town neighborhoods. Motivated by a commitment to preserve the history, relationships and essence of Atlanta, Dr. Wheeler’s book centers stories of cultural displacement to help communities learn from the past and avoid repeating it.
Dr. Wheeler holds many roles at Oglethorpe, serving as Chief Inclusive Excellence Officer, coordinator of Oglethorpe’s African American Studies program and the director of the Rich Urban Leadership Program. As an informed expert on cultural displacement and preserving history, she has helped sponsor and advise initiatives led by Oglethorpe students focused on these issues.
“University students have the opportunity to breathe new life and awareness into issues of gentrification, displacement, and loss of public memory of vulnerable neighborhoods and places,” says Dr. Wheeler.
Phoenix Flies, and Dr. Wheeler’s book talk, both address the misconception that all history has already been studied due to living in the digital information age.
“Our cities are organisms that continuously change and develop, shaped by many variables, and students, with their heightened curiosity, have the opportunity to help us understand what leads to displacement and erasure, as well as produce new ideas for alleviating it,” says Dr. Wheeler.
Phoenix Flies is presented every year by the Atlanta Preservation Center (APC) and provides the community the opportunity to discover Atlanta’s history and culture through free tours, lectures and workshops. For a full itinerary, visit the APC website.
