National Center for Civil and Human Rights

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a proposed center in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be located adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium on the site of Pemberton Place. It will commemorate the groundbreaking contributions of Atlantans and Georgians to the historic struggle for African-American freedom and equality, and will be much more than museum as it seeks to serve as a space for ongoing dialogue, study, and contributions to the resolution of current and future freedom struggles of all people at the local, national and international level.

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR) is intended as a catalyst for change, using the lessons of the civil rights movement, and particularly Atlanta’s role in it, to inspire action on today’s human rights challenges by engaging the anticipated 800,000 annual visitors.

Center Activity

Before welcoming its first visitor, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights became "a center without walls" with extensive programming. By collaborating with numerous organizations, the Center has developed many strategic partnerships.

The Center participates in various symposia and continues to offer opportunities for people to learn about the importance of human and civil rights issues. It has hosted numerous film screenings and sent curricula and resources to schools throughout Atlanta to teach about human rights. An audio tour of Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue narrated by Andrew Young is available for download from the Center's website and gives a personal, firsthand account of the past.

Building Design

The Freelon Group partnered with HOK, an Atlanta-based architecture and design firm, as the Center’s Architect of Record. The announcement came on the heels of a multi-month competitive design process in which dozens of firms worldwide competed for the contract. The Freelon Group and HOK are working with Center leadership, exhibit designer Gallagher & Associates and project manager Cousins Properties/Gude Management Group to finalize the facility’s design prior to breaking ground on the $125 million Center. The planned 100,000-square-foot (9,300 m²), LEED-certified Center is designed to serve as a portal for education and discussion through performances, lectures, symposia and partnerships across the city for Atlanta, the state and the nation.

The design is inspired by “the simple yet powerful image of interlocking arms that signifies the linkages that empower individuals and groups of seemingly divergent interests to find common ground,” said Philip Freelon, president of The Freelon Group. The design, conceived with sustainability as a primary consideration, features a terracotta-clad building surrounding an exterior courtyard, which serves as an amphitheater and exhibit space. The King Papers exhibit extends towards Auburn Avenue, and a special events space overlooks the Ellipse at Pemberton Place.

Exhibition

George C. Wolfe, Tony Award-winning theater director, producer, playwright and author, is bringing his renowned artistic talent to the design of the upcoming National Center for Civil & Human Rights as its chief creative officer.

Wolfe will oversee the creation of design concepts and themes for NCCHR, including creative interpretation of exhibits, a storyline-based approach to content and the overall visitor experience.

The Center's key acquisitions include the Martin Luther King, Jr. Papers and Without Sanctuary photography collection.

External links

• Official Website
• Executive Director's Blog
• Human Rights Angle Blog
• NCCHR on Facebook
• NCCHR on Twitter

References

• McNair, Charles (Spring 2009) The Dream Center Emory Magazine
• Moriarty, Erin (May 14, 2007) Turning a dream into reality Atlanta Business Chronicle
• Central Atlanta Progress (December 2006) Working Group Report City of Atlanta
• Yamanouchi, Kelly (October 22, 2010) Center for Civil and Human Rights pushed back a year Atlanta Journal Constitution