In an effort to distance themselves from the name of a slave-holder, the Georgia Audubon Society has re-branded themselves as simply “Georgia Birds”. The group’s website is still www.georgiaaudubon.com – but when you log on – you see the new name of the organization and a link to click about the name change.
The National Audubon Society has resisted calls to change their name, but several state organizations have decided to distance themselves from the legacy of John James Audubon. Audubon was born in 1785, and was known as a brilliant naturalist and painter of wildlife, but he was also a slaveholder. He was not just a slaveholder, he was also an avowed white supremacist and spoke out against the abolition of slavery.
This isn’t the first time the Georgia organization has changed its name. They started off as the Atlanta Bird Society in 1926 and then became the Atlanta Audubon Society and then the Georgia Audubon Society.
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