Join the Movement
A multi-user table highlights key challenges faced by the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s, and the divergent philosophies, strategies, and end goals of the movement’s leaders.
A new gallery at the National Civil Rights Museum explores the influence of the Black Power Movement and the tumultuous era of American history from which it arose and shines a light on the reverberations of the Civil Rights Movement across the United States and around the world. At the center of this gallery, a 10-foot interactive table reflects the strife of the times, with a vibrant array of archival media representing six historic challenges with contemporary relevance, such as poverty, gender equality, and riots. Surrounding the table are bold graphics urging visitors to take a stand.
Individuals and groups who approach the table can select an issue of personal interest, take a position on that issue, and discover how their stance aligns with those of public figures of the day, sometimes with surprising results. Visitors can compare their choices with those of other users, or listen to movement leaders assert their positions in their own words. Those who choose to dig more deeply can explore the larger conversation around each issue via a rich archive of supporting voices, or learn more about the ways in which the challenges faced by society in the 1960s still manifest themselves today.
The experience also enables visitors to make a personal pledge to uphold key values of the movement in their own lives, underlining the museum’s mission to share the culture and lessons of the Civil Rights Movement. Users are then encouraged to spread the word by challenging others at the table to join them, adding their pledges to the total counts featured prominently at the center of the table.