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Hugh Brannon photographs

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.VIS477

Scope and Contents

The bulk of this collection contains color slides that document buildings, street scenes, and fire incidents in downtown Atlanta during the 1960s and 1970s. Of particular note are images of Atlanta Fire Department stations and firefighting scenes. Also included are photographs of local events including the Inman Park Festival, Atlanta Braves and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets sporting events, and a civil rights demonstration by Atlanta University Center students in 1960. There is also a selection of photographs documenting Brannon’s personal travels across Georgia.

Dates

  • 1945-1996, undated

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.

Biographical / Historical

Hugh Wallace Brannon (1924-2007) was born to William Brannon (1877-1937) and Ida Brannon (1884-1977) in Atlanta, Georgia. The couple lived in Inman Park at 124 Elizabeth Street, where Hugh Brannon would spend most of his life. After graduating from Technological High School in 1942, Brannon enlisted in the United States Navy where he specialized in microphotography. He was discharged in 1945, but was recalled for active duty in 1950 to serve as a combat photographer during the Korean War. After the war, he worked as sales coordinator for the Micrographic Division of Eastman Kodak Company's Southeastern region for 37 years. An avid photographer, Brannon served as photographic editor for Prompt to Action (1975), an official history of the Atlanta Fire Department. Brannon married Wynette Ragsdale (1916-2007) in 2006.

Extent

3,421 image(s) (3,367 color slides, 30 color photographic prints, and 24 black and white photographic prints)

Language

English

Arrangement

This collection is organized in four series: Series I: Buildings and street scenes; Series II: Events; Series III: Fires; Series IV: Personal photographs. Each series is arranged alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff. Control numbers are intentionally out of order to maintain alphabetical order.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Some images in this collection have been digitized and are available at: https://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/digital/collection/p17222coll49.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 2010

Related Materials

Hugh Brannon papers, MSS 1170, Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center

Bias in Description

As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information. We choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not accurately convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. In working with this collection, we often re-use language used by the former owners of the material. This language provides context but often includes bias and prejudices reflective of the time in which it was created. The Kenan Research Center’s work is ongoing to implement reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete.

Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or descriptions, please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.

Processing Information

This collection was processed in 2025.

Title
Hugh Brannon photographs
Subtitle
ahc.VIS477
Author
Ben Conklin
Date
June 2025
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
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Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040