A Different Kind of Boosterism: Black Press Coverage of Atlanta Stadium Construction

Abstract

ABSTRACT From 1960 until 2017, Atlanta’s commitment to sports could be seen in the construction of multiple stadiums. These projects came at a price, usually taking away space from established Black neighborhoods. This article analyzes how the Black press wrote about the effect on their own communities. More than 300 articles from the conservative Atlanta Daily World and its weekly counterparts, The Atlanta Inquirer and The Atlanta Voice were collected. The results of the analysis suggest that newspaper coverage perpetuated existing social disparities, that boosterism prevails in local coverage, and the Black press in Atlanta contributed to the capitalistic discourses surrounding stadium construction. Black newspapers did not always act as an advocate for those affected by stadium construction, but instead displayed boosterish tendencies similar to large local dailies, by picking and choosing whose stories to cover based on the city’s class structure. Nonetheless, as the newspapers displayed boosterish tendencies it is marked with an asterisk. Journalists also asked for job creation for the Black community and reimbursement for lost community spaces such as churches, as well as highlighting the enduring spirit of community despite decades of neighborhood erasure because of sport.