1906 Race Riot Walking Tour
The Atlanta Way
Violence is never becoming. Not even on a battlefield. The Civil War battles that waged in and around the City and the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906 are the two most deadliest events in the City’s history. 
Phrases like ‘The Atlanta Way’ and ‘The City Too Busy to Hate’, describe Atlanta. They show a reality where one’s race and class is extremely significant.
The Walks
On September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, Civil Bikes hosted three days of walking tours. The tours were to share stories about the 1906 Race Riots. Joined by different people each day, 
we walked to sites associated with the riots. At the sites history was read and we all bore witness to the destruction and lost lives. Most historians agree that the actual number killed is unknown. Any documentation at the time would have been bad for the City’s image and indicative of the depth of Black resistance.
Collective Remembering
In 2006, The Race Riot of 1906 Remembrance Committee, a broad group of individuals and organizations, meet to restore this history on the Riot’s centennial anniversary. Dr. Cliff Kuhn was a member and lead a monthly walking tour. In 2014, I took his walking tour. Dr. Cliff was a wonderful storyteller and shared the full breath of events which lead up to the 1906 Riots. I was struck by the brutality carried out by huge white mob. And surprised to learn about Black resistance and ingenuity in how they smuggled in guns to protect their communities, homes and lives.
How we see Black Folks in History
Not only are there are stories in need of an audience, we need more stories about the Black experience. Black folks have endured, resisted, collapsed under, and striven against violence acted out against them. Significant levels of violence occurred between the post-Reconstruction years to the end of the modern day Civil Rights Movement, namely lynching. 
Shedding light and discussing the violence in ways that will bring reconciliation and restoration, could lead to policy changes. The 1906 Riots ended with negotiated agreements between white and Black civic and business leaders to prevent riots in the future. These agreements are now institutionalized and exemplified in ‘The Atlanta Way’ and ‘The City Too Busy to Hate’. These policies led this southern city to rank number one for “most inequitable city” in the US. A jaw-dropping and unwanted superlative! Addressing the inequality begins by applying heart and courage to address these negotiated terms.
We will continue to host walks, join us or schedule one for your group!