Stories of Impact

During the first half of the 20th century, the historic Westside was a bustling middle-class Black community with manicured neighborhoods – but as socioeconomic inequities set in, so did neglect. Over the years, many properties on the Westside became vacant, abandoned and blighted, leaving rotting shells of former homes engulfed in overgrown vegetation. The unsightly […]

Revitalizing our community is a team effort, one that relies heavily on the support of our many incredible volunteers. To thank them for their hard work and dedication, we shine a light on people who actively support our mission. This month, we’re spotlighting Alesha Bell, a Westside local committed to helping transform our community for […]

A Worker from a Young Age In 1933, Dorothy Bolden began working as a domestic worker for a white Atlanta family near her Vine City home in the Westside community. She was nine years old. Every day after school, she’d work at the family’s home, caring for their baby, washing diapers and cleaning the house. […]

Born in 1908, Dr. Irene Dobbs Jackson was the first of six daughters born to Irene and John Wesley Dobbs. In her early years, Irene, known as “Renie,” and her family resided in Auburn Avenue, a thriving neighborhood in Atlanta known as an epicenter of Black culture and excellence in the South. She was a […]

During #BlackHistoryMonth, Westside Future Fund is highlighting some of the places, people and events that form the rich history of our neighborhoods — English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights and Atlanta University Center. Vine City 1905: Alonzo Herndon founds the Atlanta Life Insurance Company Formerly enslaved, Alonzo Herndon (1858-1927) is heralded as “Atlanta’s first Black […]

During #BlackHistoryMonth, we are highlighting some of the places, people and events that form the rich history of our neighborhoods — English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights and Atlanta University Center. English Avenue 1881: Captain James W. English elected Mayor of Atlanta A revered Civil War Captain, James W. English is the namesake of the […]

During #BlackHistoryMonth, we are highlighting some of the places, people and events that form the rich history of our neighborhoods — English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights and Atlanta University Center. Atlanta University Center 1865: Atlanta University founded Founded by the American Missionary Association and supported by the Freedman’s Bureau, Atlanta University was once the […]

During #BlackHistoryMonth, we are highlighting some of the places, people and events that form the rich history of our neighborhoods — English Avenue, Vine City, Ashview Heights and Atlanta University Center. Ashview Heights 1910s: Herman Perry begins developing what will become Ashview Heights With the Atlanta City Street Railway having arrived in the area in […]

In celebration of Black History Month, community members and business leaders came together at the Westside Future Fund (WFF) Transform Westside Summit on Friday, February 16, to learn about revitalization efforts of Atlanta’s Black Main Street on the historic Westside. Panelists discussed the importance of Black History Month, the rich history of the Westside and […]