We Will Miss Him

“Hartsfield was a colorful con man, in his way, a great promoter, a man who could breathe life into any cause he believed in. He could make you angry, because he was stubborn and sure of his own convictions. Yet he brought a strength and vitality and intelligence to everything that interested him. He loved politics and people and his city.  

We liked him. We genuinely admired him. And we will miss him.” 

Editor’s Note: Almost ten years after Hartsfield retired from political office, he passed away from a heart attack at the age of 80. The above excerpt comes from the tribute to his life written in The Atlanta Constitution titled “The Old Master.” In this tribute, The Atlanta Constitution refers to Hartsfield as a 'colorful con man' speaking to his ability to persuade others to support him and his policies. Hartsfield left behind a legacy of progress in a time when many violently opposed change, helping to lay the foundations of the bustling city we know today as Atlanta.