Pioneering black suburb vies for distinction

'So glad to be included'
Still, those who remain know they are part of something unique, said Richard Cloues, who works for the state historic preservation office.

He is preparing Collier Heights' application for the National Register.

"It was on land owned by African Americans, financing was provided by African American institutions, much of the development that took place, many of the contractors, and all of the people who bought houses were African American," he said.

Organizers expect Collier Heights will be listed on the National Register in a few months. They say the listing is more of a recognition that raises public awareness of a neighborhood's history and allows those who restore area homes under federal guidelines to take advantage of certain tax breaks.

It could also open the way for Atlanta leaders to designate Collier Heights as a local historic district, protecting the suburb from demolition, new construction or changes that would alter the neighborhood's character.

Looking back on the suburb's founding, Gigi Dickens recalled how word of mouth spread quickly when Collier Heights was being built. Soon the neighborhood was populated with many of Atlanta's black and educated middle class seeking spacious properties of their own.

"This was more of a sophisticated area," she said. "The homeowners were black and professional people. It was a big deal. I was so glad to be included."

In the end, it was the exclusion of Dickens and her neighbors from a society that made her neighborhood exclusive.

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