Dissertation

 Transforming Atlanta's Carceral Landscapes

The Chattahoochee Brick Company & The Atlanta Prison Farm

If you have been involved in research, education, planning, advocacy, protest, or political action related to either of these sites, I want to hear from you! 

For my PhD dissertation research, I am investigating the role of public historical narratives and interventions in the transformation of two former sites of carceral labor in Atlanta: The Chattahoochee Brick Company site northwest of the city center and the Atlanta Prison Farm site southeast of the city center. As of September 2026, the city of Atlanta is in the midst of public engagement processes to guide the development of memorial parks at both of these sites.

I hope to interview a wide variety of people this fall (either via Zoom or via written correspondence), and participants will have the option of donating their interviews to the Atlanta History Center for posterity. 

Please email me at my GSU student account (alanger@student.gsu.edu) if you are interested in learning more or signing up for an interview time.

You can access the consent form here. 

Sample interview questions are available here. 

Brick remanants at the former site of the Chattahoochee Brick Company, Atlanta, ca. 2026. Courtesy Chattahoochee Brick Co. Site & Atlanta Riverlands, Atlanta Department of City Planning

Ruins of the Atlanta Prison Farm, ca. 2026. Courtesy Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation Office of Park Design