Westside Perspectives

On October 29th, city and community leaders will gather at 239 West Lake Avenue NW in northwest Atlanta to cut the ribbon on Heritage Village @ West Lake — a 102-unit affordable housing community built inside a building that has quietly witnessed nearly 75 years of Atlanta history. Before it becomes a home for dozens of individuals, it was the Waluhaje: a hotel, apartment building, and nightclub that gave Black Atlantans something the Jim Crow South rarely offered — a place o

Long before the first residents move into Heritage Village @ West Lake, the building at 239 West Lake Avenue was already doing what it does best: opening doors for Black Atlantans who had too few of them. A Landmark Reborn as a Launchpad When developer Walter H. "Chief" Aiken opened the Waluhaje Hotel and Apartments in 1951, he built more than lodging — he built a stage. Its ground-floor ballroom hosted Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, and James Brown, entertaine

On June 19, 1865—more than two years after the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation—Union troops arrived in Galveston with news that enslaved African Americans were free. That day became known as Juneteenth, marking one of the most significant milestones in American history and serving as a lasting reminder that freedom delayed is justice denied. Today, Juneteenth is more than a commemoration of emancipation. It is an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing work of buildin

History Atlanta developer Walter H. “Chief” Aiken opened the Waluhaje in 1951, a prominent Black-owned apartment-hotel complex and jazz club on West Lake Avenue in northwest Atlanta that played a significant role in the post-war development of the city’s Westside. The name, "Waluhaje", came from combining the first two letters of the names of Mr. Aikens and his wife Lucy, and two of her siblings - Hazel and Jefferson in 1951. (left) Aiken, Walter H., American, 1893 - 1965 so

Atlanta, a city rich in Black history and culture, comes alive every February with vibrant celebrations for Black History Month. As the...

Social inclusion is the process of improving the terms on which individuals and groups take part in society—improving the ability,...