For those looking for things to do in celebration of Black History Month this year, Atlanta’s National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum and human rights organization with a lot to offer.
“The National Center for Civil and Human Rights believes in justice and dignity for all – and the power of people to make this real,” the center’s website states. “We inspire visitors and our other audiences with immersive exhibitions, dynamic events and conversations, and engagement and education/training programs.”
Founded in 2014, the center’s most iconic exhibitions feature papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the history of the U.S. civil rights movement and stories of worldwide human rights struggles.
On Thursday, Feb. 23, the center will feature “A conversation with Ambassador Andrew Young and Ernie Suggs.”
“Join the Center as journalist Ernie Suggs, who has reported on race and culture for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for 25 years, sits down with Ambassador Andrew Young for a conversation around Suggs’ book ‘The Many Lives of Andrew Young,’” The center reported. “The former Atlanta mayor will share stories about his life and his perspective on the future of activism. The discussion ties into The Center’s Spring exhibition of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection exploring the March on Washington on its 60th anniversary.”
On Saturday, Feb. 25, meanwhile, admission at the center will be free from noon to 4 p.m. as a part of FedEx Sponsored Free Day. Tickets will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, the center will also be hosting the “Lift Every Voice: A Black History Concert.”
“The Center invites co-celebrants of Black History Month to hear about and experience the power of Black sacred music to inspire movements, lighten a heavy heart, or to calm a troubled spirit,” The center reported. “We will present two speakers who will contextualize the evening repertoire, and talk about the connection between Black sacred music and civil rights in the 50′s and 60′s. Finally, with the help of The Trey Clegg Singers (Atlanta’s Multicultural Chorus), our co-celebrants will be immersed in the rhythms and lyrics of music’s transformative power.”
For those unable to physically visit, the center invites all to experience its interactive virtual tour, which can be found within the video above.
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