Georgia is a state steeped in the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Throughout the state, you'll find monuments, historical plaques, and the stories of those who lived through this pivotal time. For those seeking to delve deeper into this history, Georgia offers several exceptional civil rights museums. Atlanta, in particular, stands out as a key destination for exploring African American history and the Civil Rights Movement.
Must-Visit Museums and Exhibits in Atlanta
1. APEX Museum: The African American Panoramic Experience
APEX, an acronym for African American Panoramic Experience, prides itself on being the only museum in metropolitan Atlanta "solely dedicated to telling the rich and often untold story of people of the African Diaspora." Its goal is to provide visitors with a complete view of African Americans and their contributions to the United States and the world.
2. The King Center Visitor Center
When looking for a place to learn about the Civil Rights Movement, it is imperative to include The King Center in Atlanta, named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The King Center Visitor Center is the highlight of the 35-acre Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. The park also includes Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church and Martin Luther King Jr.'s final resting place.
One of the highlights of The King Center Visitor Center is the featured exhibit "Courage to Lead." It helps visitors better understand the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King's role in it. Also, be sure to spend time visiting the "Children of Courage" exhibit, especially if you are there with children.
The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
3. National Center for Civil and Human Rights
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta is one of the most magnificent places to not just learn about the Civil Rights Movement but to actually experience it yourself. Sit at the lunch counter exhibit and see, hear and feel what you may have experienced if you had been a protestor at one of the many sit-ins throughout the South.
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The Center also houses a rotating collection of personal items from The Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection. Visitors can see personal letters, family photos and artifacts, and hand-written papers from Dr. King.
Beyond Atlanta: Other Notable Civil Rights Destinations in Georgia
While Atlanta offers a wealth of resources for learning about African American history, other locations in Georgia also provide valuable insights.
1. Albany Civil Rights Institute
Head to Albany, Georgia, to visit the experiential-based Albany Civil Rights Institute. The Albany Civil Rights Institute is located in Old Mt. Zion Church, a newly restored church dating back to 1906. The museum details the struggles Albany residents, as well as others in the South, experienced during this crucial time in history. Learn about the push for voter registration, economic boycotts, nonviolent protests and even the freedom songs sung during the civil rights struggle.
2. Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum in Savannah
The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum tells the story of Georgia's oldest African-American community from slavery through Jim Crow and segregation, to the civil rights period and beyond. The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum is located in a building built in 1914 by an African-American contractor. It once housed in the Wage Earners Savings and Loan Bank, once the largest bank for African Americans in the country.
Other facets of African American history
Besides Atlanta's diverse history, the state has a number of prominent personalities who have contributed significantly to the culture of the USA and the world.
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Consider some of them:
- Jarena Lee In 1819 Jarena Lee became the first woman authorized to preach under Richard Allen, founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A traveling preacher throughout the Northeast, Lee encouraged enslaved and free blacks and whites to overcome obstacles through the Word of God.
- Edna Lewis Born on her grandfather’s farm, Edna Lewis grew up cooking without modern conveniences. Lewis’s The Taste of Country Cooking became a classic, with chapters on fresh local foods predating the “farm-to-table” movement.
- Bob Marley Musician Bob Marley was the Rastafari movement’s most famous ambassador. Through reggae music, he spread its message and lifestyle around the world and helped make dreadlocks a fashion trend in the 1970s.
- Tom Joyner “The Hardest Working Man in Radio,” Tom Joyner commuted from a morning show in Dallas, Texas, to an evening show in Chicago for eight years. Today, his nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show is one of radio’s most popular programs.
- Howard Thurman Minister Rev. Howard Thurman wrote more than 20 books, founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, and served as a university dean. Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited is a founding text for the nonviolent Civil Rights Movement.
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