The Hardnett Family: Archivists of Ancestry
The women of the Hardnett Family — Gloria, Gladys, and Coraw — are the memory-keepers of Bush Mountain, carrying not just history, but legacy in their bones. Descendants of Reverend William Franklin Hardnett, the pioneering educator who opened the first Black elementary school in the community, their presence at the Outdoor Activity Center is more than familial — it is spiritual. Gloria, the family historian, has emerged as the living bridge between past and present, stewarding stories of sacrifice, resilience, and self-determination that were born long before the streets were paved.
Gladys and Coraw speak with deep reverence for those who came before: a grandfather who walked dusty roads to build a school for children who had none, an uncle whose store provided for families when money ran out, and a lineage of farmers, teachers, and freedom-seekers whose names echo in every brick. Together, these women exemplify Sankofa — reaching back to retrieve what was nearly forgotten, and planting it anew in community soil. Their voices are not simply recollections; they are blueprints for what placekeeping looks like when rooted in blood, memory, and love.
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Hardnett Elementary School: the School That Hope Built (WIP)
This oral history with Gloria Hardnett-Johnson, Gladys Hardnett Thomas, and Coraw Goode unearths the powerful story of Reverend William Franklin Hardnett — a man whose vision and advocacy gave rise to the only Black elementary school in Bush Mountain. Moved by the lack of safe and accessible education for Black children in the 1930s, Reverend Hardnett worked tirelessly to transform borrowed church space into a place of learning. Fueled by community tithes, a $0.15-per-week tuition, and his own relentless advocacy at the Board of Education, the school was eventually formalized — offering not just literacy, but dignity.
The interview also uncovers the family’s ongoing influence in the neighborhood, particularly through the legacy of “Uncle Only,” a local entrepreneur whose corner stores fed families, offered jobs, and embodied the spirit of mutual aid long before the term was coined. The Hardnett women’s memories trace back to generations of Black landowners, educators, and givers — creating a patchwork of resistance, pride, and placekeeping. Through storytelling, the family not only honors their elders — they breathe life back into a forgotten corner of Atlanta’s environmental and educational legacy.