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During his time as mayor, Hartsfield did many impactful things. One of these is the formation of a coalition of white businessmen and key African American leaders. The goal of this coalition was to deal with racial issues and bring integration through peaceful means. Forming this coalition in 1946, this proved itself useful with the Civil Rights Movement beginning in 1950.
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By 1952 Atlanta had tripled in size from 37 to 128 square miles. In addition to this, Atlanta's population increased by 100,000. One reason for this major boom is the new factories such as, Ford Motors, General Motors, and Lockheed. These major factories led to this large increase in population due to the need for workers. -
After six terms, Mayor William B. Hartsfield does not run for mayor. This is major as Hartsfield served the most terms as mayor in the city's history. Beginning in office in 1937, Hartsfield served for a total of 24 years as mayor. One major thing Hartfield did was that he played a major role in creating Atlanta's first airport. -
On August 30, 1961, Atlanta finally integrated their public schools. After Virginia; Little Rock, Arkansas; and New Orleans, Louisiana, attempted to desegregate their public schools, Atlanta followed. With the help of Mayor Hartsfield, the city was able to integrate their schools entirely peacefully. Soon after, Atlanta began to earn it's title “A City Too Busy to Hate.” -
After Hartsfield was the mayor of Atlanta for 24 years, Ivan Allen Jr was took office in early 1962. On his first day, he ordered for the desegregation of city offices. Another major focus of his time in office was the development of major league sports teams in Atlanta. Throughout his time in office, Allen managed to bring in the Braves Baseball, Falcons Football, and Hawks Basketball teams. -
After Ivan Allen Jr. was elected mayor, on his first day, he ordered the desegregation of city offices. More specifically, he ordered the removal of all “White” and “Colored” signs on City property. This helped to set the mood of integration and equality for his mayoral term. From there, Allen went on to continue desegregating other city departments. -
Beginning in 1963, plans were made for the creation of a stadium. This stadium was set to be built in the Washington-Rawson neighborhood, South of downtown. The stadium was completed in 1945 which then sparked more of an interest for a professional football team. This new stadium eventually served as a home for both the Atlanta Braves and Falcons. -
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In 1971, William B. Hartsfield passed away. Hartsfield served as mayor for longer than any other mayor in the city and thus his death was a major deal. After his passing, the Atlanta airport was renamed the William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport in his honor. Later, this airport was renamed to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, but it is still a major airport in use today.
