ATLANTA — Thousands of people gathered Saturday to remember two men who made a big impact on the city of Atlanta and the state as a whole.
Atlanta businessman and civic leader Herman Russell and former Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders died this week.
Russell, a real estate developer, helped shape the city's skyline and broke racial and economic barriers.
He is considered one of the most successful African-American entrepreneurs the nation has ever seen. Russell worked his way from running a shoe-shine stand at age 12 to running a real estate and property management empire.
He died Nov. 15 at 83 years old. Nearly 2,000 people attended his funeral Saturday morning at Saint Philip AME Church on Candler Road.
Dignitaries, political figures, and civic leaders, including former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Rev. Jesse Jackson and current Mayor Kasim Reed, came out to celebrate his life and legacy.
Sanders, a Democrat, was governor from 1963 to 1967 after terms in the state House of Representatives and state Senate. He was the state's 74th governor.
Sanders was the first so-called “New South” governor whose moderate policies in a time of racial unrest attracted very favorable national attention.
“He moved Georgia into the leadership of the South in my view and he moved the South much more into the mainstream of the country at a very difficult time,” said former Sen. Sam Nunn. “He formed coalitions, he knew how to lead, he knew how to make decisions, he knew how to get the Legislature to back him. He was an enormously effective leader and a wonderful man, wonderful human being.”
Sanders died Sunday at 89 years old. A public memorial for Sanders was held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Second Ponce De Leon Baptist Church on Peachtree Road.
Gov. Nathan Deal spoke at the memorial service. Several former governors, including Zell Miller, Sonny Perdue, Roy Barnes and former President Jimmy Carter, were also in attendance.