October 10

APEX Museum

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Entrance of APEX Museum

The APEX Museum (African American Panoramic Experience) is an historic museum that focusing on African American history.

Flyers outside APEX Museum

Flyers outside APEX Museum

It is located on Auburn Avenue and is made of red brick with multiple windows that do not showcase the history inside. Along the right side of the main entrance you see flyers that give a brief insight on what the APEX Museum is.

Replica of the Auburn trolley.

Replica of the Auburn trolley.

Once you enter the APEX Museum there is a five dollar charge for students to enter the tour the museum. They first have you watch two ten minute video to give you on insight on what the museum is about. You site in a room that is made to represent the street trolley that used to go around Auburn Avenue. Behind you is paintings on the walls that represent the businesses you would see along Auburn Avenue as you passed by.

The first video is projected on the wall in front of the trolley and it provides history of Africans before they became slaves. It speaks on history that goes all the way back to 6500 B.C. It discusses the success of Africans before the slave trade and how there was Queens, Pharaohs, and war leaders. Also the wealth of Africa because of the ivory.

The second video is on how African slaves became African Americans, but still faced struggles of segregation; however, they progressed economically and civilly right on Auburn Avenue. For example, blacks started owning their own business in the 1800s, which included, drug stores, news articles, and hotels.

Replica of "The White Lion" slave ship

Replica of “The White Lion” slave ship

After the video was over, you are able to self tour yourself by starting off with the timeline of history discussed in the introductory videos. Then you walk into this chamber that is supposed to give you somewhat of an insight that the Africans had when boarding the slaves ships. Then you step out of the chamber into a different entrance and see the inside of a slave ship. The picture to the left is an replica of the 1767 slave ship that was named “The White Lion”. This replica shows how people were placed tightly in the confined spaces of the ship.

Depiction of an slave auction

Depiction of an slave auction

Then once you leave the viewing of the slave ship replica, there are manikins that represent the African people once they were brought to America. To the right is a photo of the depiction of two African people being auctioned into slavery. Placed behind the manikins are two scrolls of people that were being auctioned and their prices.

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Replica of Yates and Milton Drugstore

Lastly, after witnessing the hardship Africans faced in America, you are able to see the success of them once they became African Americans. The picture to the right is a replica of a black owned business that was located on Auburn Avenue. This is the drug store owned by Lorimer D. Milton and Clayton R. Yates. The history of African Americans continue to grow and are captured here at the APEX Museum.

 

 

*All pictures taken by Author

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September 16

Embracing Little Five Points

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Clothing store outside of Marta Station located at Broad Street Plaza

My first time visiting Little Five Points was last fall with my female friend at night. We were going to return some clothes she had bought at Rainbow. I haven’t been back since this fall; however, when I go back now I only go during the day time with friends. This is because since we are in a city, Atlanta houses some criminals and homeless that migrate to areas were people regularly go such as restaurants and clothing stores. Sometimes people can be a little aggressive when approaching you; therefore, it is always
great to go with someone.

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Marta station across from Underground Atlanta

While doing my personal site response I  went with my friends, one male and one female. It was nearing seven o’clock and the sun was about to set. It was a lot of males in groups together surrounding the outside of stores outside of the Marta station close to Underground Atlanta. On the other side of the Marta Station where Broad Street Plaza is located there was many homeless people scattered around. The smell surrounding the Plaza was of grease from Popeye’s and the stench of bodily fluids. This is considerably normal when walking around Atlanta; however, it still takes me by surprise.

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Center of Broad Street Plaza at Little Five Points

Being around Little Five Points and other areas surrounding it makes me more sympathetic towards the homeless. Living in the city is defiantly a different experience from living in the suburbs and then occasionally visiting the city. When you are just in the city for a few hours, the interaction between people is less and the want to interact is even lesser. However, now that I have stayed on campus I would like to help out with the community more by participating in community service events. That entitle donations and even spending time with the children in Atlanta.

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September 16

Social Interactions Surrounding Little Five Points

 

Marta Station located at Little Five Points across from Underground Atlanta.

Little Five Points is one of the central parts of Atlanta because it separates the county line between Fulton and DeKalb County. I decided to visit Little Five Points near one of the Marta station bus pickups and train exit. I chose this place because you are able to see the different people that come in and out of the area from Marta.

I observed many people using the Marta train as one of the was to commute from different areas to get to Atlanta. Many people walk quickly without speaking to one another. While they where walking many people don’t stay in Five Points for long they crossed intersections to get to different parts of the city. Like the picture to the left many people walk into the Marta station or out to go get to their destination.

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Broad Street Plaza outside Marta station

I observed that unlike others who used the Marta Station to get from one place to the other, many others stayed at the the areas surrounding Marta. I witnessed some of Atlanta’s homeless population hang around outside of Little Five Points during my time there. The picture to the right, which is located on Broad Street Plaza, shows how it was populated by the homeless community. Stores such as, Rainbow and restaurants surround the Plaza outside the Marta station where these homeless people are located; however, I did not witness any of the people who came in or out of the Marta Station visit either of the restaurants or stores.

 

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