The legacy of Atlanta’s first Black mayor is continuing to make history!
This week, the childhood home of former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr. was unveiled as newly renovated affordable housing dedicated to Spelman College faculty and staff, Atlanta News First reports. The house, originally built by his father, Rev. Maynard Jackson Sr., in 1949, now stands as a symbol of both preservation and progress in the Vine City neighborhood, just across from the family home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the occasion, with remarks from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, City Council member Byron Amos, Westside Future Fund board members, and members of the Jackson family.
“I know that Maynard would be so proud of this house being renovated and standing again to serve the community,” said Valerie Jackson, wife of the late mayor. She reflected on the home’s history not just as a place of family, but as a haven for others during a pivotal era. “The man was ahead of his time. Rev. Jackson was ahead of his time — just like Maynard was ahead of his time.”
That legacy of leadership and community care is now being extended through a new partnership. The Westside Future Fund, which purchased the home from the King Center in 2020, spearheaded the restoration to create affordable pathways to homeownership for Spelman employees.
“Preserve the legacy, return it to service, and to make it a place that is fit for the next generations of leaders,” said T. Dallas Smith, Chair of the Westside Future Fund Board.
Michele Ogden, a Spelman staff member, will be among the first tenants. For her, this move isn’t just about housing — it’s about hope fulfilled. “In my previous home, the rent jumped to $2,250 a month, which was completely unaffordable for me in my current field,” Ogden said. “I really have been dreaming of owning a home for forever.”
The renovated home will now house six to eight Spelman faculty and staff members, offering not only a place to live but a chance to build equity and remain rooted in the community they serve.
What was once a safe haven during the Civil Rights era is being reborn to shelter a new wave of Black scholars and educators — a living monument to a family that always believed in service, progress, and the power of community.
Cover photo: Atlanta’s First Black Mayor’s Childhood Home to Serve as Affordable Housing for Spelman Staff/Photo credit: WSB-TV Atlanta 2 News