As of 2022, there were about 68.6 million people belonging to the baby boom generation in the United States. Those born between 1946 and 1964 currently make up roughly 21 percent of the population. Often characterized as more highly educated, tech-savvy and financially secure than any previous generation, boomers, with gains in longevity, have had profound implications for public institutions — including libraries. With the first wave of baby boomers reaching 65 in 2011, as early as 2006 researchers began to consider the impact that older adults would have on public libraries. With their high expectations for quality products, programs, and services, it became clear that baby boomers will influence the public library system for years to come.

The phrase, “the past is always present,” captures the sentiment that history is our constant companion. Embodying this, five Black women in Athens — Hattie Thomas Whitehead, Freda Scott Giles, Linda Elder Davis, Linda Lloyd and Ovita Thornton—carry their history within them. Their collective past informs their present and plays a pivotal role in solidifying their legacies. They all have made significant contributions to education, activism, cultural preservation, politics, and the ongoing fight

In June 2021, Shundra Seay Massey, a 29-year-old married influencer from Atlanta, started seeing a chiropractor for back pain. A licensed and registered dietician, Shundra had always taken care of herself, through diet and exercise, and thought she had just slept wrong or something. What followed was more pain—excruciating this time—in her stomach and then her back again, tests and more tests, and delay. A delay in her diagnosis of colon cancer. By October 25, Shundra was gone, leaving behind a

Historic antebellum house museums have a particular place in American history. With their house histories and fine furnishings—preserved or restored —these homes have told a specific story, that of the wealthy white homeowners who once lived there. See Photos in Slideshow Below Now these houses are starting to tell a different, more comprehensive story—that of the enslaved Africans who once toiled the land and tended the families. In house museums across the country, there have been efforts to

With new data showing that people at risk for monkeypox who are unvaccinated were 14 times more likely to become infected with the virus, Atlanta public health officials and workers say it’s important to remain cautious and use all mitigation measures. And nearly six months into the outbreak, scientists haven’t reached consensus around many aspects of the monkeypox virus in the United States, which fuels uncertainty, fear, misinformation and stigma. “There’s a lot that we actually don’t know a

Mardi Gras Masquerade was the theme of Susan G. Komen Greater Atlanta’s 9th Annual Bubbles & Bling fundraiser, held June 4 in the ballroom of the Georgia Aquarium. The event drew roughly 270 people and raised more than $255,000 for the foundation’s operations — surpassing their goal of raising $200,000, according to Jamar Jeffers, the organization’s state executive director. Guests were greeted in the parking deck entrance to the aquarium by a New Orleans’ style second line band. A hot pink ca

It’s a time of misery for some, as spring allergies are in the air. With seasonal allergies comes sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy noses, headaches, sinus pressure, or even sore throats. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 5.5 percent of African Americans suffer from seasonal allergies or hay fever. And studies show that members of our community, especially children, are often under-diagnosed, a health disparity that can lead to other, more serious problems such as a

Northwestern University students and alumni said they will continue to battle proposed changes in the building that houses the Department of African-American Student Affairs after administrators postponed the plans Sunday. Known colloquially as the “Black House,” the Victorian-style house on Sheridan Road has been the center of Black campus life since 1972, four years after a group of 110 Black students staged a 38-hour takeover of the bursar’s office. Members of the campus and alumni communit

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday decided to rehear a landmark case that could mean the end of affirmative action in college admissions decisions. The case, Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, had been decided by the Supreme Court in 2013, when the justices essentially “punted” back to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and instructed them to apply the standard of “strict scrutiny” to the admissions process. After the lower court decided that the use of race at Texas’ flagsh

The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for colleges and universities throughout the country that use a race-conscious admissions process. While Fisher’s name is listed as the plaintiff, at its core, the case examines the inclusion of race in the process of holistic review, which selective colleges and universities use to assess applicants.

When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-1 to send Abigail Fisher's discrimination lawsuit against the University of Texas at Austin back to a lower court, the long-awaited and much-anticipated referendum on affirmative action seemingly failed to materialize.

At selective colleges and universities across the United States, admissions officers decide the fate of students seeking higher education. Historically, those decisions have been based on standardized test scores and high school academic performance. But that didn’t always yield the most diverse student body, so other attributes have been and continue to be considered, including race and ethnicity. Despite efforts on the part of admissions officers to institute a fair evaluation process — incr

When the U.S. Supreme Court takes up Fisher v. Texas in the fall — its first major consideration of affirmative action policies in higher education since 2003 — scholars, legal experts and university administrators say the policies that are the basis of affirmative action in the nation’s colleges and universities may be coming to an end.

ATLANTA – Here, in the cradle of the civil rights movement, black is still beautiful. With its rich history as a place of struggle for rights, justice and equality for African Americans, Atlanta came to be known as the "Black Mecca" -- a place where black singles, families and professionals could--if they chose--be surrounded by people who looked like them. In this jewel of the South, with its incredibly strong collective and individual black identity, declaring that you’re multiracial-- the fa