Athens, GA

Linnentown was a Black neighborhood in Athens, Georgia, located just west of the University of Georgia (UGA) campus. In the 1960s, the city of Athens, UGA, and the statewide University System of Georgia seized residents’ property through eminent domain, funded by federal urban renewal programs. The area was redeveloped into student housing and a parking deck, causing an estimated $5 million in financial losses for Linnentown families. After a year-long campaign, ACC commissioners passed a descendant-written resolution leading to a $2.5 million reparations package from ACC. Out of those funds a $1.25 million capital budget is being allocated for the Athens-Clarke County Center for Racial Justice and Black Futures (ACRJ) , which is set to break ground in Q4 2025. ACRJ collaborates with local ACC government, community members, educators including individual UGA faculty members. The University of Georgia has not publicly acknowledged its role in the displacement of the Linnentown neighborhood, nor has it contributed financially toward redress for its actions during urban renewal; all UGA affiliates are working in an individual capacity. The project partners have developed curriculum and educational materials that have been introduced in the ACC school district. They are also developing an African American History and Civil Rights Tour and a Community Archive.