Atlanta, "Capital" of the New South

After World War II, the South, which had remained agricultural, experienced rapid industrialization and economic growth. There were many reasons for these changes. One of the most important was the invention of air-conditioning!

No city grew more than Atlanta, Georgia. People today speak of the "New South." If there is a New South, then Atlanta is surely its "capital." Atlanta has the world's second-largest airport. Of the 500 largest companies in the United States, 450 have offices in Atlanta. (One of these, Coca-Cola, is no surprise; the formula for Coca-Cola was developed over 100 years ago by a pharmacist in Atlanta!)

Another characteristic of the New South is improved relations between blacks and whites. In this sense, too, Atlanta symbolizes the New South. In 1974, Atlanta became one of the first cities in the country to elect a black man as its major.

With its booming economy, Atlanta attracts people from all over the country. A Californian is as likely to move to Atlanta as a Georgian is to move to California. Atlanta has also become an important cultural center not only for the south but for the world. Atlantans are proud of their city's hosting the 1996 Olympic Games.

But, as cosmopolitan as it has become, Atlanta has kept its Southern charm - its air of politeness and leisurely pace. This combination of old and new, residents say, makes their city one of the best places to live.

Randee Falk: Spotlight on the USA; Oxford University Press, 1993, page 80 f.