Atlanta

Atlanta emerged in the 1830s as a railway terminus and grew into a transport hub. Much of the city was destroyed during the American Civil War in 1864, then rebuilt into a centre of commerce and education. The history of Atlanta cannot be told without its Black communities, who made the city a centre of the Civil Rights Movement in the twentieth century.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born here; his childhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the surrounding historic district remain important places of memory. Later generations of African, Caribbean, Latin American and Asian residents added new connections to a city already shaped by movement and reinvention.

Atlanta is a global centre for hip-hop, R&B, gospel and film. Its food ranges from Southern cooking and soul food to cuisines brought by newer communities across the metro area. Museums, historically Black colleges and universities, neighbourhood festivals and local arts spaces connect cultural creation to civic life.

The city offers a vivid example of diaspora as a living exchange: traditions are carried forward, remixed and shared across generations.

Atlanta hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics, leaving a legacy of venues and public spaces. The annual Peachtree Road Race, first run in 1970, has become one of the world's largest 10K races. Runners also use the BeltLine, parks and neighbourhood routes, while basketball, football and soccer attract passionate local followings.

Atlanta's running culture shows how a race can become a citywide celebration. No Diaspora Marathon race date or course has been announced for Atlanta.