- Before there were streaming services, social media, cable TV, or even radio, there were newspapers.

I mean, there still are newspapers, but we don't see a ton of printed copies like there were back in the day.

Much of it has now gone digital, but there was a time when newspapers like this one played a significant role in daily life.

In the late 1800s, people heavily relied on newspapers to get their news, to know what new products had just hit the market, and to find out the latest happenings in their communities.

A newspaper could hold a lot of influence, and by extension, so did its editor, or the person who oversaw the paper's content and production.

During this time, the newspaper editors were some of the most well-known and powerful people in their communities.

But in Georgia in the 1880s, there was one particular editor whose power and influence outranked others, and he used his position to promote his own ideas and shape the new South Era.

His name was Henry Grady, and he was known as the spokesman of the New South.

(whimsical music) Henry Woodfin Grady was born in Athens, Georgia in 1850.

As a young boy, Grady showed talent as a writer and speaker.

He graduated from the University of Georgia and became a reporter and part owner of the Atlanta Daily Herald.

In 1874, he published an editorial, which is an opinionated article in the Herald.

The editorial was entitled "The New South."

In it, Grady advocated for diversified agriculture and industrial development as a solution to the postwar South's damaged economy.

His writing was vivid, assertive, and popular with readers.

Stockholders from another newspaper, The Atlanta Constitution, were so impressed with Grady's writing that they offered him part ownership of their paper and made him managing editor.

As the managing editor of The Atlanta Constitution, Grady brought in respected journalists, covered more types of news, and helped it reach a lot more people.

With 122,000 copies sold every week, The Constitution became the South's most influential newspaper, and Grady was equally important.

He held no political office, but he helped place others in positions of power.

He'd made no new inventions, but he helped the war-torn South create a new image after the Civil War.

And even though bitterness about the war lingered, he traveled the country in the late 1800s, spreading a message of reconciliation.

He used his position to convince people, especially those in the North, that the South was ready to grow, invest, and change.

He argued that Atlanta, in particular, could become a major southern city by moving its focus away from agriculture and toward manufacturing and other businesses.

Grady understood that in order for Atlanta to thrive as an industry leader, it needed educated workers.

So using his editorial clout, he helped lobby for the establishment of a state school in Atlanta that was devoted to industrial and vocational education.

It would be called the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Today, we know it by its nickname, Georgia Tech.

Grady also realized that in order to truly put Atlanta on the map as a place to do business, there needed to be a reason for Northerners to come to the city.

So when the idea was proposed for Atlanta to host a large exposition to attract investors, Grady knew this could be the perfect opportunity to showcase the New South.

Once again, he used his power and influence as the editor of The Atlanta Constitution to push for the event and attract national attention, and it worked.

Atlanta would actually end up hosting three of these events, known as the International Cotton Expositions.

These events which, were structured like a World's Fair, took place in 1881, 1887, and 1895.

In an era before radio and television, The Cotton Expositions were instrumental in showcasing the latest and greatest technological marvels to a large audience.

In total, over one million visitors and investors attended the expositions, which featured thousands of displays of new machines, Southern-made products, and industrial progress, especially in cotton production and textiles.

But Henry Grady's vision of progress was limited.

While he pushed the idea of a modern economy, he also promoted white supremacy and spoke openly about keeping black citizens in a lower social position.

At the same time, he was giving speeches about unity and healing after the Civil War, he was supporting laws and systems that kept black Southerners from voting, owning land, and having equal opportunities.

Even though Grady was not an elected official, his position as editor of a major newspaper still afforded him a lot of power in the political world.

He played a big role in the Atlanta Ring, which was a group of influential political and business leaders in Georgia in the late 1800s.

The Atlanta Ring worked together to promote the growth of Atlanta and the idea of the New South.

But the Atlanta Ring also used its power to shape public opinion and control Georgia politics, and Grady was one of its most important voices.

He wrote articles and editorials that supported the political careers of like-minded people.

One person in particular was John B. Gordon, a part of the bourbon triumvirate who shared similar views to Grady and was a supporter of the New South.

With the help of Grady's influence, Gordon served as a US senator and governor of Georgia, but Henry Grady also had his adversaries or people who opposed it.

Not everyone supported the idea of the New South.

He was often attacked by populist Tom Watson and Georgia's farmers for his industrial focus.

Elected officials in other major cities in the state were frustrated with Grady showing favoritism to Atlanta, and many civil rights groups in the North and South criticized his views on race.

In 1889, Henry Grady died from pneumonia at the age of 39.

Despite his short life, Grady achieved immense influence and power in shaping Georgia during its post-war era.

Grady County, Grady Health System in Atlanta, and the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication are all named in his honor.

Henry Grady was an important figure in Georgia's history, but his story isn't simple.

He helped put Atlanta on the map as a major city and supported new businesses, schools, and events that brought attention to the South.

He believed in building a stronger economy after the Civil War, and many people respected his leadership and writing, but Grady also supported unfair ideas that kept black citizens from having the same rights and opportunities as others.

When we look at complex people like Henry Grady, we learn how powerful words and influence can be and why it matters who gets to shape the future.

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