these decisions continue to be felt today, underscoring the importance of prioritizing social equity in future infrastructure planning and development.” 23 In Atlanta, one of the areas razed during urban renewal were ‘The Bottom’. ‘The Bottom’ is a geographic identifier and a Black cultural landscape typology. 24 The term “The Black Bottom” is an eponym which emerged in the 20 th century and represents either the soil classification or land of poor value in a low-lying area. 25 Buttermilk Bottom, a neighborhood at the lowest part of the Peachtree Ridge east of Atlanta’s central business district (CBD), is one example of The Black Bottom. 26 A cultural narrative reveals in part where the name ‘Buttermilk Bottom’ originated from and is inseparable from the Black experience. Cassandra Huff, a descendant of William Huff, a former Buttermilk Bottom resident, shared that the name ‘Buttermilk Bottom’ derived from the state of poverty many residents lived in, and in this condition could only afford older, ‘cultured’ milk or ‘buttermilk. 27 Cassandra Huff also shared one of her dad’s memories, “A short bow-legged Jewish man by the name of Israel owned a store where he sold buttermilk, cornmeal, collard greens, ham hocks, canned goods, and cigarettes to Black [people].” The community of people took their cornmeal home, and preparing their meal, would make cornbread. After the cornbread was cooked, they would crumble it in a bowl and then pour buttermilk in the bowl. Hence, a buttermilk bottom .” 28 From this remembrance Cassandra Huff reveals how Black people lay claim to a place, distinguishing a specific area in a way that references the specific people who reside there by their practices.
23 “Reconnecting Communities”, https://www.transportation.gov/reconnecting 24 Jared Green, “Kofi Boone: Designing a Black Common” The Dirt, ASLA, February 21, 2023. https://dirt.asla.org/2023/02/21/kofi-boone-designing-a-black-commons/ Last accessed April 4, 2024.
25 Davis, Ujijji. "The Bottom: The Emergence and Erasure of Black American Urban Landscapes."
26 Steven A. Holmes, “Renewal Project Moving Forward.” The Atlanta Constitution, May 16, 1978.
27 Cassandra Huff, DD, PhD, JD, “We Would be Descendants of Buttermilk Bottom, Atlanta, Georgia: As Told by U.S. Army Retired CSM William H. Huff”, Author House: Indiana, 2019. 28 Cassandra Huff, “We Would be Descendants.”
B-9
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator