World Heritage Initiative Department of History Atlanta, Georgia

Watch the Highlights from the U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites Symposium

The incredible keynote speakers, passionate panelists, and a strong turnout of committed participants made the second U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites Symposium a tremendous success. The GSU World Heritage Initiative recorded the proceedings so if you missed the Symposium or want to hear again a talk or panel discussion, click on the links below.

Opening Keynote Speaker Professor Hasan Kwame Jeffries of Ohio State University presented Context is Key: the Importance of Situating Civil Rights Sites in Movement History. He discussed the challenge of situating movement sites in the larger African American freedom struggle against white supremacy by telling a seamless story from slavery and Jim Crow through the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. He challenged the audience to help visitors “unlearn the dominant Civil Rights narrative,” the over-simplified “feel-good” version that overlooks important aspects and much of the current relevance of the movement.  Click here for Context is Key.

Friday morning began with the first of two panel discussions, Creative Marketing of Civil Rights Sites. Dawn Dawson-House of the WeGOJA Foundation talked about the South Carolina “Greenbook Tour” campaign which achieved national attention thanks in part to a good marketing firm that shared her passion. The International Civil Rights Center and Museum’s John Swaine stressed the importance of “holding tight to your vision and values,” to teach the real history, for your product has value, so hire talented people. Cameron Patterson of the Moton Museum emphasized the importance of collaboration, especially with local and regional entities, to extend your outreach beyond your site. Freedom Rides Museum Director Dorothy Walker described the impact of their “museum on wheels,” a restored civil rights era Greyhound Bus that travels the country presenting the Museum’s story in a compelling way to new audiences. Click here for Creative Marketing of Civil Rights Sites. The second panel discussion, Planning and Funding Your Rehabilitation, featured three speakers who shared their experiences and offered advice on preparing their sites for the public. Sixteenth Street Baptist Church’s Ted Debro described their multi-phase rehabilitation that took off with federal grants and later, with local support. He emphasized the importance of using a Historic Structure Report in order to avoid mistakes. Martha Bouyer of the Historic Bethel Baptist Church Community Restoration Fund focused on the importance of helping the community as well as the site, describing how a network of private and public, local, regional, state and federal support has supported the rehabilitation of the historic church and its parsonage as well as the congregation’s revitalization efforts in the neighborhood. Architect Jack Pyburn of Lord Aeck and Sargent broke down the rehabilitation planning process into logical steps and discussed the team approach needed for best results. He talked about the process as an investment, a way to invest resources wisely to not only preserve a structure but also to make it an asset for the present and future.    Click here for Planning and Funding Your Rehabilitation. In the closing keynote presentation, Preservation as Social Justice, Professor Brent Leggs emphasized the power of African American historic sites as transcendent, spiritual experiences that bear witness to the fight for social justice. He discussed numerous sites where the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is working with local communities to not only restore their historic places but also to celebrate their heritage and address past injustices.   Click here to see Preservation as Social Justice. The U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites Symposium happened because of the generosity of the sponsors, the thoughtful preparation of the speakers and panelists, and the interest and participation of the attendees. Many thanks to everyone involved.   Save the Date! Discussions are underway for a possible Third U.S. Civil Rights Movement Sites Symposium with the tentative dates scheduled for Thursday-Friday, April 27-28. 2023. Let us know if you have interest in attending such an event as we consider the possibilities. Thanks!

Event Sponsors

This project is funded in part by: The African American Civil Rights program of the Historic Preservation Fund, National Park Service, Department of the Interior. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material do not constitute endorsement or necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior or U.S. Government; and Grants from the African American Fund and the Southern Intervention Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Questions? Comments?  Visit: worldheritage.gsu.edu. Project Director Glenn T. Eskew: gteskew@gsu.edu or 404.413.6354 Project Manager Anne H. Farrisee: afarrisee@gsu.edu or 404.413.6353