Through the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP), Georgia Conservancy is supporting revitalization efforts in McDonough’s Blacksville neighborhood that honor the community’s history while ensuring a vibrant and inclusive future for generations to come.
Blacksville, a historically Black neighborhood located within the city of McDonough in Henry County, traces its origins back to the Reconstruction era, when formerly enslaved African Americans established the neighborhood as a place to live, work, and build community following the Civil War. Over time, Blacksville developed its own schools, churches, and businesses, becoming a self-sustaining and culturally rich community.
Despite periods of disinvestment and challenges brought on by urban development and annexation, Blacksville has maintained a strong sense of identity and resilience. Today, the community’s legacy is preserved through its historic structures and the stories of its long-time residents.
During 2025 and 2026, Georgia Conservancy worked collaboratively in Blacksville to support a shared vision for a more resilient, connected, and environmentally sustainable community. Partnering with Build A Better Blacksville, the City of McDonough, and ARC, Georgia Conservancy helped lead a community-driven planning process focused on enhancing public spaces, increasing green infrastructure, and preserving the area’s rich cultural and historic identity.
Key elements of this work included auditing and mapping historic community assets, engaging residents through creative placemaking efforts, conducting oral history interviews with legacy residents, and studying successful revitalization efforts in similar historically Black communities. A stakeholder committee of residents, local leaders, and business owners worked with artists and planners to ensure community voices guide the recommendations. The project places particular emphasis on repurposing historic sites for public use, improving bike and pedestrian access, and expanding green spaces, all to honor Blacksville’s heritage while supporting its long-term livability and growth.
Georgia Conservancy organized a community listening session for the Blacksville Neighborhood Community Plan, in coordination with Build A Better Blacksville and the City of McDonough. The event was a resounding success, with nearly 70 community members turning out to lend their voices and shape a vision for the future of Blacksville. Attendees included legacy residents, business owners, and a plethora of elected officials representing both local and state offices. Topics included visioning greenspace improvements, historic preservation efforts, placemaking and public space activation, housing priorities, and general community building priorities. Attendees shared their thoughts over a meal and connected with one another at a historic site in the neighborhood. The energy and enthusiasm in the room were palpable.
The project team summarized and analyzed all information gathered at the meeting and outlined key recommendations to address the challenges and opportunities present in Blacksville. A second workshop in garnered community input on these initial recommendations.
In May, Georgia Conservancy’s final report, Blacksville Community Preservation & Community Action Plan, was completed. The City of McDonough will issue it for a final public review during the summer of 2026.
From the Atlanta Regional Commission: “The Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP) provides planning assistance to local governments, CIDs, & non-profits across the metro Atlanta region to undertake local planning activities that advance the goals of ARC’s regional planning initiatives. In short, CDAP matches technical planning help and expertise with projects in communities who need it.”