Susan Percy is an award-winning Metro Atlanta-based journalist and columnist, who has covered Georgia business, politics, and government. She was executive editor and editor of Georgia Trend Magazine from 2001 through 2013 and a regular contributor for another 11 years.
Learn MoreChosen for their impact, insight, or personal significance, each item offers a glimpse into the moments and stories that have defined her work and voice as a journalist.
When Jimmy Carter was inaugurated in 1971 as Georgia’s 76th governor, he famously announced, “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over. No poor, rural, weak or Black person should ever again have to bear the additional burden of being deprived of the opportunity of an education, a job or simple justice.”
Over the course of her career, Susan Percy has interviewed a wide range of influential figures—from elected officials and business leaders to artists, educators, and advocates shaping life in Georgia and beyond. Her conversations go beyond headlines, offering thoughtful, well-researched questions and space for reflection.
View All Interviews >Drawn from Susan Percy’s personal collection, this section features scanned articles originally published in print outlets that are no longer available online. Each scan is presented as it first appeared—part of a living archive that honors both the journalism and the era it captured.
View the Archived Items >This collection features Susan Percy’s published work that remains accessible online, spanning topics from politics and public policy to culture, health, and leadership. Each article reflects her clear-eyed reporting and thoughtful analysis, offering a window into the issues and individuals shaping Georgia and the region.
View All Digital Articles >Most people over the age of 25 can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Those of us with a few more years to count have the same clarity about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, just as our parents never forgot how and where they heard that Pearl Harbor had been bombed in 1941.
When the Clayton County School System lost its accreditation in 2008, I was stunned. When the Atlanta Public Schools cheating scandal broke, I was angry. Late last year, when the school system in DeKalb, my home county, was put on probation and warned it would lose its accreditation if school board members couldn’t pull their act together and behave like responsible grown-ups, I was incredulous and mad. That’s pretty much where I’ve been ever since.
Every Sunday evening since March, at about 6:00, I have poured myself a glass of wine and “dialed” into a Zoom call with a group of people I used to dine with regularly. It has become the anchor for my week, a closing out of the weekend and a warmup for the seven days to come.
In the world of Saturday morning cartoons we inhabited in our childhood, the bad guys were easy to spot: black hats, twirling moustaches, evil laughter and ambitious plots to bring harm to good people and/or destroy the world. (The bad women mainly scowled a lot.)
Over the course of her career, Susan Percy has been honored by peers and professional organizations for her journalism, commentary, and contributions to the field. These awards reflect her commitment to clear-eyed reporting, fearless commentary, and a deep respect for the role of journalism in public life. From national press associations to regional honors, each recognition marks a chapter in her legacy.
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