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those who are not offered similar spaces in the city’s larger venues. This formation is not unlike punk’s original journey through the New York music scene in the 1970s. However, the prominence of metro Atlanta’s Black population, the numbers of which almost match that of the white population, is reflected in this growing underground music scene.

The financial and economic hardship brought by the pandemic combined with the rise in political unrest and social activism has created a perfect platform for the resurgence of punk music among modern Black youth. The isolation experienced by many during the pandemic also necessitated new identity formations for many Black youth who may have been more comfortable experimenting with hair, fashion, and art in solitude.

Each of these changes emerging at once seem to promise a rebirth of Black youth culture free from social constraints and policing. In Atlanta, bands like Playytime and Upchuck, both fully made up or led by Black musicians, powerfully give voice to this cultural phenomenon. Most importantly, they welcome all who want to renegotiate their identity and boldly declare to the mainstream world that they exist, punk and non-punk alike.

Donors:

English Department

Film and Media Department

Sociology

Institute of Liberal Arts

History Department

SGA Emory Arts