Atlanta Restaurants That Fueled and Supported the Civil Rights Movement

Photograph courtesy of the Auburn Avenue Research Library of African American Culture and History, Fulton County Library System

As the civil rights movement grew in Atlanta, leaders and organizers gathered, literally, in a coterie of black-owned restaurants. Akila Sankar McConnell, author of A Culinary History of Atlantahost of Savory stories podcast on WABEand owner of Unexpected Atlanta Tours, puts it this way: “Atlanta restaurateurs fueled and funded the civil rights movement. Because it was a grassroots movement with limited funding, restaurateurs like James and Robert Paschal and Lucy Jackson (of Busy Bee fame) graciously donated food and meeting space. Major decisions of the civil rights movement, from the March on Washington to the Poor People’s Campaign, were made at the tables of Atlanta’s historic black-owned restaurants. The generosity and unwavering support of these restaurateurs helped make the work of the civil rights movement possible.”

The most rented shelter was Paschal RestaurantLocated on Hunter Street (renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in 1976), it also housed a hotel and the famous La Carrousel jazz club. A Culinary History of Atlanta, King came to the Paschal brothers and asked for a place where he and his fellow activists could “eat, meet, rest, plan, and strategize.” The Pascals brothers feel called to action. Frequent guests joining King included John Lewis, Julian Bond and Jesse Jackson. During the 1960s, the brothers posted bail for arrested protesters and served meals to waiting family and friends. Today, a new Paschal’s restaurant is open on Northside Drive and still serves its famous 1947 fried chicken, a favorite of King’s, who ordered it with candied yams and collard greens.

Next to Paschal’s is the beloved Busy Bee Cafe, opened by self-taught cook Lucy Jackson, aka “Mama Lucy.” It remained a must-see stop for many, including Presidents Obama and Biden. The restaurant’s fried chicken has legions of fans, as do its fried okra, mac and cheese, and banana pudding. Its reputation for consistent quality and Southern hospitality has earned it a James Beard Award and a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The small dining room has been closed since the start of the pandemic, but business remains brisk with online ordering and curbside service.

Opposite the Busy Bee Cafe was Aleck’s BBQ Heaven. Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young quoted in a 2016 article by Jim Shahin in The Washington Post, recalls: “Aleck’s was probably as much responsible as anything else for Martin Luther King’s greatest speeches. Every time he had to write a speech, he would either get ribs or ask someone to get them for him and take them to his house. “You can’t stop eating them, and then you can’t go to sleep,” he said. He stayed up all night, reading and writing because of these ribs. Founded by Ernest Alexander in 1942, Aleck’s was a small place that offered smoked meats and a famous Come Back sauce. The late-night hangout, also popular with journalists, is long gone; a Walmart parking lot covers its hallowed spot.

Frazier Coffee Company sat on the road at Busy Bee and caused a stir by encouraging blacks and whites to dine together. Evelyn Jones Frazier followed her own rules when it came to menu and guest inclusion. His elegant tables and sophisticated manners, not to mention his signature Icebox Lemon Pie, elevated the conversations, which leaned toward revolution and community service.

BB Beamon The 24-hour restaurant was a beacon on the corner of Butler Street (now Jesse Hill Jr. Drive) and Auburn Avenue. The bubbly restaurant attracted black artists as well as activists and served as a touchstone for nearby residents. Its private dining room gave the organizers a place to hide; desserts attracted post-show performers; and Sundays brought hungry worshippers, newly redeemed and ready to dine.

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