This week, we’re covering the story of the Sixth Federal Reserve District, or the Atlanta Federal Reserve, as it was often called. We’re covering why the Federal Reserve was started, its choosing of Atlanta for a district branch, it’s three different locations and how it fared through WWI, the cotton crisis, the Great Depression, WWII and the Civil Rights Movement. The story of the Atlanta Fed is a story about Atlanta becoming the capital of the New South. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
In April 1949, Metropolitan Opera singer John Garris came to Atlanta to perform at the Fox Theatre—but by the next morning, he was dead in an alley off Marietta Street. His murder launched a bizarre investigation that sent detectives across the country chasing mysterious men, possible lovers, stolen cars and a convicted killer, but no one was ever charged. Police quickly focused on Garris’ relationships with men, raising questions about whether his sexuality shaped the investigation—or even played a role in his death. Seventy-seven years later, who killed John Garris remains one of Atlanta’s u
Atlanta's Neighborhood Planning Units—or NPUs—have been shaping how residents engage with City Hall for nearly 50 years, but what exactly are they, and why do they exist? This week, inspired by my own quest to explore every NPU in the city, we're diving into the fascinating history behind Atlanta's unique system of neighborhood representation. From the end of the ward system and the rise at-large voting, to the years of debates over how to structure the NPU system, we'll explore how NPUs came to be, what power they actually have, and why they're still one of the city's most debated institution
This week, I got the chance to interview Megan Maloof, the general manager of Atlanta's iconic Manuel's Tavern. We talked about her grandfather founding the tavern, his hopes for a space for community, the long time employees and patrons. I found out whose ashes are over the bar and what Megan's favorite item is on the walls. This year, Manuel's Tavern is celebrating 70 YEARS with a party on August 6th. Manuel's on IG Manuel's on FB Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
I am taking a podcasting summer break and will return July 17th.
This week, we're talking about the 1933 kidnapping of prominent Atlanta banker James King Ottley Sr. during the height of the Great Depression, when ransom kidnappings were rising across the country. After being abducted outside his Buckhead estate and forced to write his own ransom note, Ottley convinced 17-year-old accomplice Pryor Bowen to release him. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
This week’s episode explores the history of Agnes Scott College, from its origins as a small, church-founded seminary in 1889 to its rise as a nationally respected women’s college. Rooted in the 19th-century female seminary movement, the school grew rapidly with support from George Washington Scott and developed traditions like Black Cat Week. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
From railroad stop to global corridor, Chamblee has lived a lot of lives in just over a century. This week, we trace its evolution from land once inhabited by the Muscogee people, to a tiny rail junction, to a booming military town during World War I with the rise of Camp Gordon. Along the way, we uncover the surprising origin of Chamblee’s name, and follow its shifts through dairy farms, aviation history at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, and postwar suburban growth. By the late 20th century, Buford Highway transforms into an international lifeline—making modern Chamblee one of the most diverse and
Still recovering from my appendectomy last week and so I am re-releasing my episode about the Dick Lane Velodrome in East Point. We're talking about what a velodrome is, Atlanta’s first velodrome, Dick Lane and the decade long efforts to open this velodrome in East Point. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
This week, we’re stepping into the pages of the Negro Motorist Green Book. I am sharing my conversation with my good friend, Cynthia Jennings, who has been uncovering the stories behind the places that offered safety, dignity, and community during the era of segregation - but we’re focusing on the women who made those spaces possible. Behind these listings were women entrepreneurs, caretakers, and revolutionaries, who opened their homes, ran businesses, and created networks of survival during a time when they weren’t assured visibility and protection. Cynthia's website Want to support this pod
This week, we explore the long and winding history behind the creation of a Botanical Garden in Atlanta - a dream that took more than 50 years to become reality. The story begins with Eugene Schofield Heath, who first pushed for a garden in the city in 1918. From ambitious Works Progress Administration projects along the Chattahoochee River to stalled plans caused by World War II, Atlanta repeatedly tried, and failed, to establish a permanent botanical garden. It wasn’t until the 1970s, when civic leaders and garden advocates rallied around a new site in Piedmont Park, that the idea finally to
This week, we trace tennis from its 12th-century French origins to its rise in Atlanta, where elite clubs, segregated courts, and growing public facilities shaped the sport’s local identity. From the founding of ALTA by Bitsy Grant to the 1961 desegregation battle at the Bitsy Grant Tennis Center, Atlanta’s tennis story reflects the city’s broader fights over access and equity. We also look at the Olympic spotlight at Stone Mountain Park in 1996 and how Atlanta grew into one of the country’s largest recreational tennis hubs. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmai
When people think of sit-ins, they think Greensboro. But the movement didn’t start, or stop, there. This episode looks at how the 1960 Greensboro sit-ins inspired Atlanta’s Black college students to challenge segregation in a city that called itself “too busy to hate.” From An Appeal for Human Rights to coordinated sit-ins across downtown, arrests under newly written laws, and the protests that landed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in jail. Atlanta’s Student Movement reshaped the civil rights fight and even influenced a presidential election. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevict
Atlanta gets nearly an extra hour of evening sunlight compared to cities east of us—and it turns out that’s no accident. In this episode, we unravel how railroads invented time zones, why Georgia was once split between Central and Eastern Time, and how Atlanta spent decades fighting over what time it should be. From business interests and newspaper deadlines to full-page ads promising more sleep for children, the battle over the clock was surprisingly intense. This is a story about power, commerce, civic identity, and a deceptively simple question that once divided a city: what time is it, rea
In this episode, we follow the land from rural farmland to an independent city with its own mayor, streetcars, schools, and sharp racial divides. You’ll hear how Bush Mountain became a vital Black community, how segregation shaped education and housing, and why progress so often bypassed certain streets. From Madea’s House to Negro League baseball fields, Klan activity, and environmental justice, this is a story of growth, conflict, and resilience layered into one small corner of the city. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
Before airplanes and AI, Atlanta once stopped in its tracks to watch a hot air balloon rise into the sky. In this episode, I cover the story of the city’s first balloon flight in 1869. Balloon pioneer Samuel Archer King and the “Dare Devil Dentist” Dr. Albert Hape ascended nearly a mile above Atlanta as thousands watched from below. From spotting Stone Mountain to scaring onlookers and surviving a rough landing, their journey was equal parts spectacle and wonder. Through Hape’s own words, we glimpse how life-changing it was to see Atlanta from above for the very first time. Want to support thi
From ancient superstitions to nuclear submarines, the name Atlanta carries a remarkable legacy across the seas. In this episode, we trace the centuries-old traditions of ship naming, before diving into the history of the vessels called USS Atlanta. You’ll hear how one ship served both the Confederacy and the Union, how others helped usher in America’s “New Navy,” and how the most famous USS Atlanta fought—and was lost—during the brutal battles of World War II at Guadalcanal. We follow the name through Cold War submarines, deep-sea wreck discoveries, and all the way to a newly ordered, multi-bi
Tami Roche was named Miss Burlesque in 1966 and her career took off, performing across the country and on Broadway, before moving to Atlanta in 1969 to headline at the Body Shoppe for a few weeks. Weeks turned into years and she made her way to the Domino Lounge, where she developed her famous champagne glass bath act. She even had Russ Meyer, famous sexplotation film director, write a script for her! We talked about her early childhood, her entry into burlesque, how she chose her stage name, how she became "Tassel Twirling Tami", her move to Atlanta, marriage to the club owner, his sudden dea
A special bonus episode to share my interview with Cliff Norris and David Aurilio to learn about the histories of the Atlanta Freedom Bands, a nonprofit community music organization made up of LGBTQ+ musicians and allies that includes a full concert band, marching band, jazz ensemble, and several small groups, and Voices of Note, the nonprofit organization that oversees Atlanta's LGBTQ+ choral groups, including the Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and the Atlanta Women’s Chorus. We covered the history of how these groups formed in Atlanta, why they were needed and how they fared through the AIDS crisi
Before Chosewood Park was a neighborhood with winding streets, skyline views, and a curious little road called Climax Street, it was Muscogee land—until Georgia land lotteries, and forced removal reshaped the entire region. From John Miller Clark Reed’s 600-acre homestead… to the Nolan sisters and the Turmans, whose names still echo through the street grid… to a forgotten cemetery where descendants of Michelle Obama’s ancestor were laid to rest, and we’ll watch the neighborhood transform as the Federal Penitentiary and the Chevrolet plant are built. The best massage therapist in Atlanta Want t
This week, I am sharing an oral history recording I did last year with Matthew Norwood, pastor of Bible Way Ministries. His father developed Norwood Manor, where he still lives, and he shared about his life, calling for the ministry and small congregation in Atlanta grew into a pillar of hope and service. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
From crystal balls to courthouse battles, this episode with Liz Clappin and Cynthia Jennings, dives into the history of fortune telling — from the start of Spiritualism, to Atlanta as a hotspot for spiritualists, mediums, and prophets, a place where faith, folklore, and hustles collided. We talk about Queen Kulu, Nancy Kendell, and Tobie Grant - and mysterious male fortune teller who exposed secrets and then left town. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
Ever wonder what I’d do with $5 million if saving it was off the table? Or which unsung women of Atlanta’s past I’d invite to a dinner party? In Volume 5 of my Q&A series, I’m answering 12 listener questions — from my favorite neighborhoods and nerdy research habits to the most frustrating parts of podcast production. Plus, I’ll reveal the stories I can’t wait to dive into next and where I see this podcast by episode 600. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
This week, I am so excited to share my interview with my friend Julie B. Johnson, where we talk about her latest project, Dancing in Darktown. I’m honored to collaborate with her new work focusing on Black dance halls in Atlanta from 1890-1920. Dancing with Digital Archives in Atlanta workshop Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
This week, I am sharing an interview with Stan Washington, veteran journalist and editor-at-large of The Atlanta Voice. We discuss his career in PR, radio and how he arrived at The Voice, and his unwavering commitment to the Black press. This is a conversation about journalism and a call to preserve and support the institutions that continue to amplify Black voices and shape the narrative from within the community. Want to support this podcast? Visit here Email: thevictorialemos@gmail.com Facebook | Instagram
