AABJ – The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists

Welcome to the ATL as AABJ hosts the NABJ ’26 Opening Reception at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights

Take a stroll or catch a shuttle from the hotel to the newly expanded National Center for Civil and Human Rights for the NABJ Opening Reception hosted by the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists. Begin your Atlanta visit with an immersive museum experience open only to NABJ ’26 attendees and special guests. Step into living history. Discover the courage of everyday people and your own power to protect human rights. Explore the new exhibit on America’s Reconstruction era. Visit “Voice to the Voiceless: The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr., Collection.” It’s a great time to reconnect with friends over food and beverages and experience The National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Event: NABJ Opening Reception Hosted by the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Time: 8:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Cost: $20

This is a ticketed event and conference badges are required for admittance.

The streets that shaped a movement—and still shape the truth we tell today. Presented by AABJ and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau

During the 2026 NABJ National Convention, step beyond the ballroom and into the city where strategy met sacrifice—and storytelling helped move a nation. This guided morning tour traces Atlanta’s Civil Rights landmarks through a Black journalist’s lens, connecting legacy, leadership, and the responsibility we carry when we tell our stories. This is not a sightseeing loop. It’s context. It’s communion. It’s craft.

This historic bus tour offers a front-row seat to the landmarks that sparked a global movement for justice. The journey begins on Auburn Avenue, the legendary “richest Negro street in the world,” where passengers view the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. This 35-acre site includes Dr. King’s birth home, The King Center where he and Coretta Scott King are interred, and the original Ebenezer Baptist Church. The route moves past the APEX Museum, the city’s oldest Black history museum, before heading to the immersive National Center for Civil and Human Rights. A key highlight is the drive through the Atlanta University Center (AUC), showcasing Morehouse, Spelman, and Clark Atlanta University—the training grounds for generations of leaders. The tour also features a stop near Paschal’s Restaurant, where Dr. King and other strategists planned the 1963 March on Washington over fried chicken. Your journey concludes with lunch at Southern National.

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 9am Buses depart from the Marriott Marquis Hotel
Cost: $35

This is a ticketed event, and conference badges are required for admittance.

Where culture sets the pace because Atlanta Influences Everything. Presented by AABJ and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau

Atlanta’s arts and entertainment story isn’t preserved behind glass—it moves, builds, and reverberates through the city itself. This tour offers a rolling, street‑level view of the cultural economy Black creators built and exported to the world. From the elevated perspective of the bus, the neon marquee of the Fox Theatre and the bold geometry of the High Museum of Art rise into view, tracing Atlanta’s architectural and artistic evolution. The route cuts through the Krog Street Tunnel, where layered street art signals the city’s ever‑changing creative pulse. The tour then leans into Atlanta’s global sound, passing the Trap Music Museum—the iconic “Pink Trap House”—before heading toward the secured gates of Tyler Perry Studios and Trilith Studios, where Black ownership reshaped the entertainment industry. This is more than a drive‑by. It’s a study in scale, strategy, and staying power. From the engineered echoes of Patchwerk Recording Studios, where countless hits were born, to the quiet grandeur of Buckhead’s estates, this journey captures a city that doesn’t chase trends—it creates them, controls them, and sends them worldwide. Your journey concludes with lunch at Southern National.

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: 9am Buses depart from the Marriott Marquis Hotel
Cost: $35

This is a ticketed event, and conference badges are required for admittance.

Curated suggestions for NABJ 2026 attendees who prefer to move independently

Atlanta’s nightlife isn’t a single strip or scene — it’s a network of culture, power, sound, and gathering places that come alive after hours. For Black journalists looking to explore on their own terms, the city offers plenty of ways to experience its energy without a guided itinerary. Many nights begin with context. Auburn Avenue, once the epicenter of Black commerce and entertainment, remains a meaningful point of reference — less about club hopping and more about grounding yourself in the legacy that still shapes the city’s creative and political influence. From there, Atlanta fans outward. West Midtown blends Black‑owned dining, media adjacency, and creative power. It’s home to high‑energy restaurants that double as nightlife destinations, as well as private, members‑only spaces where Black professionals gather, network, and unwind. Expect DJs, late dinners that turn into scenes, and conversations that stretch well past dessert. For those drawn to politics, media, and unfiltered conversation, Manuel’s Tavern remains an Atlanta institution — a place where reporters, candidates, organizers, and locals cross paths without pretense.

East of downtown, neighborhoods like Edgewood Avenue and East Atlanta Village deliver more DJ‑driven, street‑level energy. These districts reward curiosity: intimate lounges, late‑night music, and rooms where Atlanta’s cultural pulse feels closest to the surface. Buckhead offers a more polished experience — upscale lounges, rooftops, and clubs with dress codes and late hours — while downtown landmarks like SkyView Atlanta provide a literal change of perspective before the night continues elsewhere. No matter the route, Atlanta nights tend to end the same way: with late‑night comfort food or dessert. It’s not optional — it’s tradition.

(Note: No need for a save your spot)

About AABJ

The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists (AABJ) is a leading voice for Black media professionals in one of the nation’s most influential news and culture markets. As the second‑oldest chapter affiliated with the National Association of Black Journalists, AABJ has spent decades advancing equitable coverage, supporting journalists at every career stage, and holding institutions accountable through advocacy, programming, and community engagement. The organization is deeply rooted in Atlanta’s civic and cultural life, championing press access, professional development, and the preservation of Black stories that shape local and national narratives. In 2026, AABJ celebrates its 50th anniversary—marking half a century of impact, leadership, and commitment to strengthening Black journalism in Atlanta and beyond.