Atlanta's Food Story and the Civil Rights Movement

Atlanta cooks with the discipline, defiance and the swagger required of the world’s greatest chefs. Glimpse into the city’s past, where you can see a constant reminder of the history that has shaped this bold and resilient food scene.  There, we are met with the struggle that shaped not only the South, but the entire country’s position on racism. Atlanta restaurants emerged as the vital center for social responsibility. During the civil rights movement, food became the heart of the rebellion.

Establishments like Paschal’s, Busy Bee Cafe and Frazier’s Café Society provided not only food, but also the sustenance required for what would be an arduous path toward liberation. These restaurants served as the meeting ground for change, providing nourishment for the community and feeding the belly of a movement.

These restaurants offered resistance relief, providing meals for those on the front lines and for those having difficult conversations across the table. Dining rooms turned into the command centers of the revolution. The understanding that food and freedom are inseparable  remains at the forefront of Atlanta’s culinary landscape.

Atlanta’s development as a culinary capital commenced only when legal segregation ended, with restaurants playing a vital role in destroying Jim Crow practices during the American civil rights movement. Once the social systems and cultural norms that caused the nation to exist in silos were removed, opportunities for people of various racial and cultural groups opened, allowing them to literally share a seat at the table.

Today, Paschal's remains an iconic restaurant, featuring its signature soul food in the heart of the Castleberry Hill neighborhood in Downtown Atlanta. 

Today, Atlanta is the heart of the South. It is a progressive city where culture and art are commonplace. It attracts and fosters creative people and businesses from all over the world, and they are helping shape everything including the local food scene. Atlanta today is one of the most diverse American cities thanks to the many cultures now calling this city “home.”

Shaped by the civil rights movement and influenced by new chefs, creativity and the freedom to innovate, Atlanta's story continues.