giving voice to linnentown
This is a compelling true story about a young Black girl's family that lived in a thriving small Black community called Linnentown. Written by Hattie Thomas Whitehead, she describes her early childhood years in the 1960s and how her life and the lives of other Linnentown families changed the moment the City of Athens and The University of Georgia entered into an Urban Renewal (UR) contract. As a result of UR, Linnentown properties were taken for the university's expansion, residents were forced to move, and families were separated. Decades later, Hattie Thomas Whitehead chronicles life in Linnentown and her leadership role in seeking justice on behalf of Linnentown and its first descendants. Her goal is to give voice to a once vibrant and thriving community that was erased.
