Atlanta, GA
‘Atlanta’s Berlin Wall’: One Atlanta neighorhood’s history of racial roadblocks
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Owning a home is part of the American dream many families are never able to realize because of the color of their skin.
This Black History Month, Atlanta News First anchor Tracye Hutchins sheds light on a little-known part of Atlanta’s history when a roadblock was used as a barrier for Black people.
Cascade Heights has been known as a home to Black prominence and power in Atlanta. Several notable politicians, sports figures and celebrities have settled in there, but only in recent history.
In the early 1960s, the neighborhood was on the brink of a major transition when a doctor named Clinton Warner bought a home there. The problem was Warner was Black and that area of Cascade Heights was all white.
It wasn’t long before Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., who was in office at the time, decided to keep the peace and keep more Blacks for moving in — a permanent barricade made of steel and wood built on Peyton Road. The barricade became known as the Peyton Wall, a symbol of segregation.
Dr. Ron Bayor, a retired Georgia Tech professor, said the Peyton Wall was Atlanta’s most blatant attempt to block Black migration.
“The whole effort was to push Blacks to the west side. But it was a travesty, this was the year after the Berlin Wall was built, and it was often referred to as Atlanta’s Berlin Wall,” Bayor said.
Bayor has written about Atlanta’s segregated history in his book “Race And The Shaping of Twentieth Century Atlanta.”
The existence of the Peyton Wall prompted multiple protests and negative national headlines, which became too much for Atlanta city leaders. A judge later ruled the barrier unconstitutional, and the Peyton Wall was torn down after 72 days.
Bayor said the wall’s impact is still being felt today.
“Generally, Atlanta is still a pretty segregated city, and this is a legacy of what happened before,” Bayor said.
Archie Emerson, the local board president of the Empire Board of Realtists, has seen the impact firsthand.
Emerson represents the same group of Black real estate brokers who fought to help Black homeowners in that neighborhood in the 1960s.
“In order for us to elevate to the next level, we must change our mindset and understand that we have the right of homeownership,” Emerson said.
But in 2025, there are still barriers for Black people, including historical prejudice, economic disparities and denied mortgages.
The most recent data from the Atlanta Regional Commission found that Black homeownership in Fulton County was 25% lower than white homeownership, even though Black people make up a larger percentage of the population.
“So why wouldn’t we continue to fight now? Unfortunately, we’re still fighting,” Emerson said. “So that we can continue to have growth in homeownership. It starts right here on Peyton Road.”
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
Man killed in northwest Atlanta shooting, police say
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — A man was shot to death at a northwest Atlanta apartment building on Tuesday night, according to police.
Atlanta police said they responded to a person shot at an apartment building located at 361 Oliver Street NW, near the Vine City neighborhood.
Officers reportedly found a man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have not released further details, including the victim’s name or if they’ve identified suspects.
This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.
Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.
Atlanta, GA
Westside residents push back on APS plan, call for inclusion in decisions
Westside residents push for more say in decisions
Westside residents say the APS school repurposing plan disproportionately impacts their neighborhoods. Community members also raised concerns about TAD funding and gentrification. Residents are calling for inclusion and oversight in decisions about development and education.
ATLANTA – Concerned residents on Atlanta’s Westside gathered Monday night for an emergency community meeting in Vine City, saying a proposed Atlanta Public Schools plan to repurpose 16 schools will disproportionately impact their neighborhoods — and deepen what they call decades of disinvestment.
‘A crisis’ for Westside
What they’re saying:
The meeting, held at Live Life Tabernacle, drew a small but passionate group of residents who said they’re tired of being overlooked when it comes to city funding and educational resources.
“We have a crisis,” one speaker said, as community members nodded in agreement.
Under the APS proposal, a majority of the 16 schools slated for closure or repurposing are located in Atlanta’s western neighborhoods, including Vine City and nearby communities.
Alton Peterson, a longtime resident and small business owner, voiced frustration over what he described as another blow to struggling families.
“They closing down schools. What can kids going to do?” he said. “They probably have to travel farther — and parents can’t do that because they’re struggling to pay rent and other bills.”
Concerns over city spending and gentrification
What they’re saying:
Residents also pointed to what they view as a longstanding disparity in how Atlanta’s tax allocation district (TAD) funding is distributed. The program was designed to spur development and improve infrastructure in underserved areas — but locals say the benefits haven’t reached them.
“We need oversight,” one attendee said. “We need to make sure it actually goes toward projects that actually help the people.”
Last month, Mayor Andre Dickens proposed using $5 billion in TAD funds to expand access to jobs, education, and food, while extending the program through 2055. But residents worry that the plan won’t arrive soon enough to slow gentrification and prevent more long-time families from being displaced.
Ann Breedlove, a Westside business owner, said her community has watched property values rise while Black residents have been forced out.
“The property owners and investors that have taken our properties in these neighborhoods — they have studied, pushed out African American people,” she said.
Calls for inclusion and accountability
What they’re saying:
For Peterson and others, the solution begins with inclusion — ensuring Westside residents have a voice in how development dollars are spent.
“My concern is just that the money’s going into the right places,” Peterson said. “Up the street, you’ll see folks laying on the sidewalk, folks asking you, ‘Can I get a quarter?’ It shouldn’t be that.”
Those who attended Monday’s meeting said this was just the beginning. They hope to strengthen dialogue not only within the neighborhood but also with city leaders and APS officials.
The Source: Information in this article came from FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo attending the meeting and listening to speakers.
Atlanta, GA
Storms Tuesday could cause delays at Atlanta airport ahead of Thanksgiving
ATLANTA – If you’re flying out of or through Atlanta ahead of Thanksgiving, prepare for potential delays at the world’s busiest airport.
Possible travel delays in Atlanta
What they’re saying:
Storms moving into Georgia on Tuesday could create travel headaches at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the FOX 5 Storm Team.
“It’s beautiful today — clear skies, sunshine, and mild temperatures — but that’s going to change,” said FOX 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alex Forbes. “We’ve got another cold front coming in that’s going to bring the risk for some stronger storms on Tuesday.”
The National Weather Service and FOX 5 Storm Team are tracking a system that could bring damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, hail up to one inch in diameter, and frequent lightning.
Rain chances are expected to reach 70% Tuesday, with most of metro Atlanta likely seeing three-quarters of an inch to an inch of rainfall, and some isolated areas nearing two inches.
“The rain chance on Tuesday is going to be at 70%,” Forbes said. “There’s a better chance than not of seeing some rain. In an extreme instance, you might see upwards of about two inches.”
The timing of the storms could coincide with one of the busiest travel days of the year.
“We’re going to see scattered showers and storms over the airport at some point, maybe at several points,” Forbes explained. “Planes can’t get through fronts — they go around them — so you’re going to be looking at longer flight times from any cities that are on the other side of that boundary: Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Louisville.”
Add in the holiday crowds, and even small disruptions could ripple through the national flight network.
“Mix into that the number of people flying, the number of planes in the air, and then, oh, by the way, it’s going to storm at Hartsfield–Jackson at some point,” Forbes said. “So Tuesday at the airport, we might have some visitors spending the night with us here in the Atlanta area.”
Clear, seasonable Thanksgiving in Atlanta
What’s next:
The good news: once the front moves through Tuesday night, skies will clear and temperatures will drop sharply — setting up a chilly but calm Thanksgiving Day.
“We clear out for Thanksgiving,” Forbes said. “Then it’s smooth sailing into next weekend.”
The Source: Information in this article came from the National Weather Service and FOX 5 Storm Team forecasts for Atlanta the week of Nov. 24, 2025.
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