For many years the airport was known as Hartsfield. It was named for William Berry Hartsfield, who served as Atlanta's mayor for a total of 24 years and is credited with developing Atlanta's airport into a national aviation center.
Later the airport was renamed Hartsfield-Jackson, to also honor Mayor Maynard Jackson, who in 1974 became Atlanta's first African-American mayor. I had the opportunity to meet Mayor Jackson once - on a Delta airliner flying between Atlanta and Frankfort, Germany. The Mayor seemed pleased that I recognized and spoke to him, and as a true politician he didn't miss the opportunity to shake my hand. Maynard Jackson was good for Atlanta. Among his accomplishments was leading in the modernization of the airport in the 1970s.


