Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the state of Georgia, as well as the urban center of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States.

Considered to be a top business city and transportation center, Atlanta is the world headquarters of The Coca-Cola Company, AT&T Mobility, and Delta Air Lines.

History

The land comprising the city of Atlanta was once a Native American village named Standing Peachtree. The area that became Atlanta was sold by the Cherokee and Creeks to white settlers in 1822, with the first area settlement being Decatur.

The Georgia General Assembly voted to build the Western and Atlantic Railroad to provide a trade route to the Midwestern United States on December 21, 1836. Following the forced removal of the Cherokee Nation between 1838 and 1839 the newly depopulated area was opened for the construction of a railroad.

During the American Civil War, Atlanta served as an important railroad and military supply center. In 1864, the city became the target of a major Union invasion. The area now referred to as Atlanta was the scene of several battles, including the Battle of Peachtree Creek, the Battle of Atlanta, and the Battle of Ezra Church.

On December 15, 1939, Atlanta hosted the premiere of Gone with the Wind, the movie based on Atlanta-born Margaret Mitchell's best-selling novel of the same title. Stars Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, and Olivia de Havilland attended the gala, which was held at Loew's Grand Theatre.

During World War II, manufacturing such as the Bell Aircraft factory in the suburb of Marietta helped push the city's population and economy. Shortly after the war, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was based in Atlanta.

In the 1960s, Atlanta was a major organizing center of the Civil Rights Movement, as Dr. Martin Luther King and students from Atlanta's historically black colleges and universities played important roles in the movement's leadership. Two of the most important civil rights organizations, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, had their national headquarters in Atlanta. In 1961, Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. became one of the few Southern white mayors to support desegregation of his city's public schools.