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 >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.
The distance from my living room couch to Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park is just under seven miles, but it felt both nearer and farther away as I sat there watching TV coverage of the first night of the local protests following the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota.
I can’t help wondering if certain candidates and political office-holders are the recipients of top-secret but plentiful supplies of bubble wrap – invisible to the rest of us – that they use to insulate and isolate themselves from the world beyond their advisers and supporters and consultants. You know, the world made up of ordinary people with jobs and kids and mortgages and car pools and soccer practices and doctors’ appointments. To say nothing of ears and eyes and brains and even BS detectors.
The summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the long-running water war between Georgia and neighboring Florida – with Alabama occasionally holding Florida’s coat – didn’t resolve anything. It merely kicked the can down the road in a cloud of legalese.
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.
View Awards & Recognition >
