Center Connects Civil Rights to Broader Human Rights Movement

America’s civil rights movement, in which Atlanta played so central a role, has been an ongoing inspiration for popular movements for human rights everywhere.

Center for Civil and Human Rights

That message is at the heart of the mission of the Center for Civil and Human Rights, located in downtown Atlanta between the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola at Pemberton Place.

According to the Center’s website, it strives to “connect the American civil rights movement to today’s Global Human Rights Movements” and “create a safe space for visitors to explore the fundamental rights of all human beings.”

The 43,000 square-foot center was first envisioned by civil rights activists Evelyn Lowery and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young and was launched in 2007 by Atlanta’s former mayor Shirley Franklin.

The Center houses three galleries with the following exhibitions:

• “Voice to the Voiceless: The Martin Luther King Jr. Collection” displays personal documents and artifacts from the life of the slain civil rights leader. This exhibition includes a draft letter from King to Atlanta University Center students jailed during protests, a telegram from Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee leader Marion Barry to King, and King’s “Open Letter to Negro Youth,” among others.

• “Rolls Down Like Water: The American Civil Rights Movement Gallery” examines the civil rights movement from 1954 to1968. Features of the exhibition, which was curated by the Tony Award–winning theatrical playwright and film director George C. Wolfe, include “The Movement Catches Fire,” “Freedom Riders Theater,” “March on Washington,” and “That Day (The King Assassination),” among others.

• “Spark of Conviction: The Global Human Rights Movement Gallery” examines the broader human rights movement, beginning with the aftermath of World War II—when in 1948 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exhibit includes documents and artifacts related to contemporary human rights struggles. The gallery also features interactive technology with exhibits including “Who, Like Me, Is Threatened?” “What Are Human Rights?” “Human Rights in Action,” and “The Move, Free, Act Gallery.”

The Center also regularly hosts engaging programming events, sponsors educational forums, and attracts world-renowned experts to raise awareness about relevant human rights topics. Visitors are encouraged to view the events calendar for more information about upcoming educational opportunities at the center.

APA members coming to Atlanta with family in tow may want to access the site’s downloadable “Across Generations” family guide for tips on how to make the most of the trip. ■