‘America’s Blackest city’ struggles with its identity

How race and identity are shaping politics, policy and power.

Sep 16, 2022 View in browser   By Rishika Dugyala and Teresa Wiltz What up Recast family! We're back with an installment of our Next Great Migration series, where we explore why Black people are leaving major cities — and how that's changing politics and power. From 2000 to 2020, municipalities with significant Black populations have turned decidedly less Black. Places like Washington and Chicago have been grappling with a shift away from longstanding Black political power structures. But today we're talking about Atlanta's metropolitan area — and it's a different story. Although the Black population inside the city limits shrank in that 20-year span from 253,564 to 233,018, the metropolitan area as a whole has been a beneficiary. In that time, the Black population skyrocketed. Sean McMinn/POLITICO For the Atlanta area, this has been a period of striking changes: the creation of South Fulton out of what used to be unincorporated south Fulton County, the growing political influence of hip-hop moguls and the ever-increasing income inequality. Here are four takeaways from the series. ONE Sean McMinn/POLITICO More than any other city in America, as the birthplace of the civil rights movement, Atlanta has represented the promise of Black political power. But in neighboring South Fulton , which is just 5 years old, the fulfillment of that promise has birthed new, complicated problems. And as is so often the case, the roots of these problems can be traced in the major demographic shifts of the past two decades, write reporters Michael Kruse, Brittany Gibson and Delece Smith-Barrow.  TWO Patrick Cavan Brown for POLITICO As mayor — and to the constant consternation of his fellow South Fulton elected officials — khalid kamau has stressed his slogans of "America's Blackest City" and "Black on Purpose." His goal is to create here not only a "laboratory" for progressive policy but "a real-life Wakanda." But even as the city's leaders fight over what Black political power should look like, residents are preoccupied with more prosaic issues, like high taxes and crime. THREE Patrick Cavan Brown for POLITICO At least, that's what our Teresa Wiltz writes. It's been decades since she moved out of Atlanta, but it's now the Hollywood of the South. While the face of Atlanta politics remains Black, like many cities around the country, the ATL is no longer majority Black. And Atlanta is increasingly a paradox: It's dynamic, prosperous, the hip-hop capital. But it's also the capital of yawning racial disparities. FOUR Patrick Cavan Brown for POLITICO Rappers like T.I., Ludacris and Killer Mike are simply doing what white moguls have done for centuries in this country: using their money and their might to influence City Hall. They're fighting a controversial City Council proposal that would allow the politicians to temporarily shut down certain nightclubs, reports Delece Smith-Barrow. But critics argue this looks a lot like the old-fashioned dynamic of rich folks meddling in city politics to further their own interests. We hope you read the full stories online. Of course, you can always reach us at therecast@politico.com. All the best, The Recast Team   Follow us on Twitter Brakkton Booker @brakktonbooker Rishika Dugyala @rishikadugyala Teresa Wiltz @teresawiltz   Follow us

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