Albany

It became prominent in the nineteenth century as a shipping and market center, first served by riverboats. Scheduled steamboats connected Albany with the busy port of Apalachicola, Florida. They were replaced by railroads. Seven lines met in Albany, and it was a center of trade in the Southeast.

Albany is part of the Black Belt, a geological formation of soil conducive to cotton growth. An extensive area in the Southern geographical area of the United States. From the mid-20th century, it received military investment during World War II and after that helped develop the region. Albany and this area were prominent during the civil rights era, particularly during the early 1960s as activists worked to regain voting and other civil rights. Railroad restructuring and reduction in the military caused job losses, but the city has developed new businesses. The historically black Albany State University enrolls more than 6,500 students annually.