“Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944-1968” exhibition extended to March 1

Due to overwhelmingly positive response, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine has extended Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado’s photography exhibition Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944 – 1968” to March 1. Originally scheduled to end on December 1, the exhibition on the Eastside and Westside Trails has been a popular attraction for the surrounding communities, art enthusiasts, and those interested in Atlanta’s civil rights history.

Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado next to her work on opening day of the exhibition. Photo: The Sintoses
Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado next to her work on opening day of the exhibition. Photo: The Sintoses

Presenting 75 photographs over four miles, this is the longest outdoor exhibition on civil and human rights in the United States. The photography is sourced from Dr. Sims-Alvarado’s book Images of America: Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944-1968 (Arcadia Publishing, 2017). The book is a portable exhibition that offers a pictorial history of the modern civil rights movement in Atlanta, curated from photographs largely taken by award-winning Associated Press photojournalists. From testing the landmark US Supreme Court decision in Smith v. Allwright to mourning the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the exhibition illustrates how Atlanta came to be recognized as the epicenter of the Civil Rights Movement.

A panel from "Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944-1968" on the Westside Trail, alongside "The Singer," mural by Suzy Schultz. Photo: John Becker
A panel from “Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944-1968” on the Westside Trail, alongside “The Singer,” mural by Suzy Schultz. Photo: John Becker

Celebrating the city’s legacy as the epicenter of the civil rights movement, Dr. Sims-Alvarado used historic photographs to document and to identify the cross-generation of Atlanta activists who changed history – many of whom resided in the neighborhoods around the Atlanta BeltLine. In October, Art on the Atlanta BeltLine, the Atlanta Opera, and Dr. Sims-Alvarado presented “Our Walk to Healing: An Immersive Performance and Processional” in tandem with the photography exhibit. The event celebrated the survival and healing surrounding the Civil Rights era with operatic performances and narration by Dr. Sims-Alvarado. View photos of the event here.

The Atlanta Opera and Art on the Atlanta BeltLine presented "Our Walk to Healing" in October of 2018. Photo: John Becker
The Atlanta Opera and Art on the Atlanta BeltLine presented “Our Walk to Healing” in October of 2018. Photo: John Becker

Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado is the CEO of Preserve Black Atlanta, a non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to identifying, recording, and preserving African-American history and culture. Dr. Sims-Alvarado has developed a model for utilizing historical and cultural assets as a catalyst for economic and community development and has worked with some of Atlanta’s leading institutions: The National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta History Center, Herndon Home Museum, and Central Atlanta Progress.  

This exhibition was made possible by the following sponsors:

 

  • Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.                                                     
  • Art on the Atlanta BeltLine
  • Preserve Black Atlanta, Inc.                                         
  • The Late Ivory L. Young, Jr., Atlanta City Council District 3
  • Home Depot Cascade, Store 0130                           
  • H.J. Russell & Company
  • Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau                
  • Central Atlanta Progress
  • Fulton County Arts and Culture                                 
  • Atlanta Public Schools
  • Herndon Home Museum                                             
  • Matlock Advertising and Public Relations
  • Post 3 At-Large, Councilmember Andre Dickens
  • Post 2 At-Large, Matt Westmoreland                     

 

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