海角大神

George Hudson spent his entire life here on Auburn Avenue, a dozen steps from the house where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. grew up, and a block from Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the Rev. Dr. King proclaimed what became a globally transformative message of human freedom.

To many Americans, the civil rights movement is the stuff of black-and-white pictures in history books. But to Mr. Hudson and thousands of other Atlantans, it is part of living history in a city still populated by the civic actors who downplayed hate and strove for higher human principles.

For those reasons, says Hudson, 鈥渢his is a city that inspired change, but it鈥檚 also a city that would go to war to make sure those gains aren鈥檛 reversed.鈥�

For many black Americans, the questions of what happen to those gains under the Trump administration is an open question. Not all are predisposed to distrust President Trump right from the start. His promises to fight crime in inner cities and to promote charter schools hold an appeal for some.

But more are wary. Mr. Trump鈥檚 Twitter attack on civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis, whose district is in the heart of Atlanta, seemed ominous. Trump called the district 鈥� which is 58 percent black and stretches from well-heeled Buckhead to blue-collar East Point 鈥� 鈥渉orrible鈥� and 鈥渃rime-infested,鈥� while suggesting Representative Lewis, repeatedly beaten as an original Freedom Rider, was 鈥渁ll talk 鈥� no action.鈥�

But the reaction is more resolve than panic. Indeed, the Twitter spat provided a moment of clarity for many here, including Hudson. It came as a reminder of how profound the gains have been, and how progress on racial rights must be an eternal flame 鈥� as the one visible just over Hudson鈥檚 shoulder in front of King鈥檚 tomb 鈥� not just a bright spark.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been an assumption among many people who grew up in the last few decades that there鈥檚 a natural impulse toward greater freedom, more rights, and the broadening of democracy,鈥� says Kevin Kruse, a historian at Princeton University and author of 鈥淲hite Flight.鈥� 鈥淣ow we鈥檙e seeing a growing awareness of just how fragile [these improvements] are 鈥� and that they are not going to stand on their own.鈥�

The view from John Lewis's district

Concerns about the Trump administration stem from its emphasis on policing above reform, proposals to cut federal funding for vital programs, and Trump鈥檚 disparaging comments about black neighborhoods, among other things.

For example, the new White House website vows to 鈥渘ot make life more comfortable for the rioter, the looter, or the violent disrupter鈥� 鈥� a direct reference to unrest following a series of controversial police killings of unarmed black men 鈥� but says nothing about equitable policing in minority neighborhoods, a major concern of many black Americans.

Early versions of Trump鈥檚 proposed budget would eliminate the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and cut back the Justice Department鈥檚 Civil Rights Division, according to The Hill.

鈥淲e are deeply concerned that this Justice Department is preparing to abandon its commitment to enforcement of our nation鈥檚 civil rights laws,鈥� Kristen Clarke, the executive director of the Lawyers鈥� Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, said in a teleconference Tuesday.

High school football coach Lester Mickens, who grew up and still lives in Lewis鈥檚 congressional district, watches the news at dinner time every night and concludes that, 鈥渁s a black community, we鈥檙e in a quagmire right now on this Trump thing.鈥�

鈥淯s black people are used to this struggle, so, in some ways, Trump does little to us,鈥� he says. At the same time, 鈥済ood people are not going to stand by and let him and his regime do bad things. One of Obama鈥檚 lasting accomplishments 鈥� was that he brought us together morally as a country. And that鈥檚 why there鈥檒l be marches, protests, and more situations where we will form coalitions more fiercely.鈥�

Trump鈥檚 tweeted aspersions against the Fifth Congressional District here were in some ways easy to laugh off. One counter-tweet read, 鈥淎tlanta is a nightmare: I just had to wait 45 minutes to get seated for brunch.鈥�

But some people point to North Carolina鈥檚 鈥淢oral Mondays鈥� as an example of the kinds of 鈥渃oalitions鈥澛爐hat could sprout nationwide. When the state legislature shifted right 鈥� at one point passing new voting rules that a federal court said 鈥渁lmost surgically鈥� disenfranchised black North Carolinians 鈥� the movement responded with hundreds of peaceful protests and nonviolent arrests. It has been credited with helping to lead an electoral charge that ousted Republican Gov. Pat McCrory.

鈥淵es, you can win rights, but protecting those rights is as important as winning them,鈥� says Noliwe Rooks, an American studies professor at Cornell University and a graduate of Atlanta鈥檚 historic Spelman College. African-American voters in North Carolina found out that 鈥渢he law is a piece of paper. It can be torn up just as easily.鈥�

Trump's appeal, Atlanta's resolve

That鈥檚 not to say Trump holds no appeal. Coach Mickens agrees that Trump鈥檚 focus on improving urban economies could help break cycles of despair and violence in poor black communities. Others say that the nomination of charter-school proponent Betsy DeVos to become Education secretary dovetails into large-scale African-American support for charter schools, given the struggles of many inner city public schools.

But the determination to hold to victories won is strong here.

To lawyer Korey Albury, the best defense for Atlanta is its very existence as a black-led global trade and entertainment hub.

鈥淭he fact is that this is a great city that is run very well by African-Americans,鈥� says Ms. Albury. 鈥淎nd no matter what anyone says, we鈥檙e going to keep doing a good job.鈥�

Indeed, Atlantans see themselves as holding a vital place in the national discussion on civil rights and the promise of black America. 聽

鈥淎tlanta, the jewel of black America, is a microcosm 鈥� because it is a perfect example of what can be done when we have equality of access, and create opportunities and allow people of all races, creeds, and colors to participate 鈥� where you open up your society,鈥� says Charles Coleman Jr., a former city attorney in Brooklyn who now prosecutes civil rights cases.

Trump will get a wait-and-see grace period, says John Jones, who owns Leslie鈥檚 Barber Shop on Edgewood Avenue. But it could be short, he says.

Setting his eyes on the Atlanta skyline, he shakes his head: 鈥淭here鈥檚 no way anyone鈥檚 going to strip away what we here in Atlanta have fought for 鈥� no way.鈥�