One of two settlements established after the Civil War by William Jennings in 1865, Summerhill's early inhabitants were freed slaves and Jewish immigrants.

The Atlanta Board of Education bought it three years later, making it the only public school for Black children in the City.

By 1965, Summerhill grew westward after absorbing the former neighborhood of Washington–Rawson due to its homes being razed to make room for Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and its parking lots.

[1][2] In 1966 there was a four-day riot in Summerhill which the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and its leader Stokely Carmichael were accused of inciting following an incident of police brutality.

After the Olympics, the stadium was converted to Turner Field where the Atlanta Braves played through the end of the 2016 season.