Joyland is a neighborhood of small, single family homes in southeast Atlanta, Georgia and site of a former 1921 amusement park built for African Americans.

Joyland
Joyland is located in Atlanta
Joyland
Joyland
Location of Joyland within central Atlanta
Coordinates: 33°42′43″N 84°23′47″W / 33.711998°N 84.396436°W / 33.711998; -84.396436
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyFulton County
CityCity of Atlanta
NPUY
ZIP Code
30315

It is bordered by the Downtown Connector (I-75/I-85) freeway on the west, High Point on the north, Pryor Avenue and The Villages at Carver on the east, and Amal Heights on the south.[2]

History

edit

On May 16, 1921, Joyland Park, an amusement park for African Americans was opened in the area, according to its ads in the Atlanta Independent at the time, "the only shady park" where African Americans "could enjoy themselves".[3] At the opening a number of prominent Atlantans spoke:

In 1926 a subdivision for African Americans, also called Joyland Park, was built here. Residents included farmers, farmhands and laborers. Lots were around 4,000 square feet (370 m2) in size.[4]

 
Atlanta Constitution article reporting the opening of the amusement park

Later the Joyland Park public housing project was built in the area.

Government

edit

The neighborhood is part of NPU Y.

Parks

edit

Joyland Park at the center of the neighborhood was renamed Arthur Langford Park in 1995, in honor of city councilman, Georgia state senator (1984–1994) and minister Arthur Langford, Jr. Joyland also has a street named after him, Arthur Langford, Jr. Place.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Dr. Sawicki's Studio Project - Atlanta Neighborhood Report". Archived from the original on 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  2. ^ City of Atlanta Online, Map of NPU Y Archived 2010-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Atlanta Independent, July 1, 1926, p.5 Archived November 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Lee Ann Lands, The culture of property: race, class, and housing landscapes in Atlanta