Events

Join us for Saturday Storytime! Enjoy inspiring children's stories and interactive games on our third-floor mezzanine. Saturday Storytime occurs at 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, and 2:30 PM and is included with the price of admission.

Celebrate MLK Day all weekend long with the Children's Museum of Atlanta from Saturday, January 18 – Monday, January 20! Learn about Martin Luther King Jr., his message of hope and acceptance, and more with fun activities with the National Center for Civil & Human Rights, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Markell Williams.

We invite you to join us at Bellwood Quarry on Friday, February 7th at noon. Come learn about the history of forced labor in Atlanta, receive an overview of Truth + Transformation's work on the Westside, gain insight into our community engagement process, and share your thoughts. We will meet atthe Rebirth of Atlanta Pavilion in Westside Reservoir Park. Toward the end, we will offer an optional walk to the Reservoir Overlook (about 10 minutes) to see Bellwood Quarry. There is a hill, so wear comfortable shoes if you plan to join us for the walk. Bring your thoughts and your friends. Registration is required. Send any questions to [email protected]. Directions for entering Westside Park: The easiest way to get to the Rebirth of Atlanta Pavilion is via Johnson Rd. NW. Enter where the Whalebone Sculpture is (looks like a giant ribcage) and park in the Birth of Atlanta Lot.

Join WABE, in partnership with The Atlanta History Center and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, for a special screening of American Coup: Wilmington 1898 before it airs on PBS. Guests will get to see an exclusive preview of the film and hear a panel discussion moderated by WABE's Rose Scott with filmmaker Brad Lichtenstein, Dr. Crystal Sanders, Associate Professor of African American Studies at Emory University, and DJ Sims, Director of the Truth + Transformation Initiative at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. American Coup: Wilmington 1898 tells the little-known story of a deadly race massacre and carefully orchestrated insurrection in North Carolina’s largest city in 1898. Stoking fears of “Negro Rule,” self-described white supremacists used intimidation and violence to destroy Black political and economic power and overthrow Wilmington’s democratically-elected, multi-racial government. This massacre inspired much of the 1906 Atlanta race massacre.

YOU(th) Belong and the Netherlands Consulate present The Front Porch: Black History Love Letters. On Friday, February 14, 2025, 6 PM—8 PM, join community members of all ages and backgrounds as we celebrate Black history through poetic tributes to people, past and present, who've positively impacted our lives. This event is FREE and will include storytelling, poetry, prose, music, food, and beverages.    Key Event Details: Parking for the event is paid, so plan accordingly. Want to join the Open Mic? Sign up here: https://forms.gle/a1rwf9f8NHdv8Qk97. Spots are first come, first served. Event registration closes on 2/11. Featured Artist:  L. Lamar Wilson, Affrilachian Poet and the 2024-2025 Mohr Visiting Poet at Stanford University

YOU(th) Belong is partnering with the Georgia Safe Schools Coalition for the 2025 Annual Summit for Georgia's LGBTQIA+ Youth on Saturday, February 15, from 8 AM – 5 PM at Agnes Scott College. This free, one-day event brings together LGBTQIA+ youth, supportive educators, and parents from across Georgia for a day of education, entertainment, and community building. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate with others committed to creating safe and inclusive schools. 

Join us for a preview of Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP, a new documentary film from PBS's American Experience, premiering Tues., Feb 25, at 9/8c on PBS stations nationwide.  The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the filmmakers and interviewees from the film.  American Experience is proud to partner with The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History, APEX Museum, and The National Center for Civil and Human Rights to present this event.    About the film:  While many consider the birth year of the civil rights movement to be 1955, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on an Alabama bus, the stage had been set decades before by activists of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. While some NAACP leaders, such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Thurgood Marshall, are widely renowned figures, Walter White, head of the Association from 1929 to 1955, has been all but forgotten. With his blond hair and blue eyes, Walter White looked white; he described himself as “an enigma, a Black man occupying a white body.” Like virtually all light-skinned African Americans of his day, White was descended from enslaved Black women and powerful white men. But he was Black — by law, identity, and conviction, and spent his entire life fighting for Black civil rights. Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP traces the life of this neglected civil rights hero and seeks to explain his disappearance from our history.    Panelists:  Michelle Smawley (director) is an award-winning director, series developer, and educator. She has worked with ABC, CBS, CNN, HBO, and many others, most recently running a year-long series for a statewide initiative for WNET. She was also the founding executive producer for TRAX, the first podcast network for preteens, which earned a Peabody Award nomination in 2021. Smawley is an adjunct professor at NYU. She has also served on the faculty of the Missouri School of Journalism and the Graduate Program in Social Documentary at the School of Visual Arts.  Rob Rapley (writer, producer) is the founder of Apograph Productions and has written, directed, and produced many award-winning films for American Experience, including most recently The Lie Detector and Voice of Freedom. Rob has received three Emmy nominations, a Writer’s Guild Award, a duPont-Columbia Award, and many other honors. A classically trained musician, Rob was also nominated for an Emmy as a sound mixer and has engineered Grammy-winning recordings with some of the great classical artists of our time.  The conversation will be moderated by Cameo George, executive producer of American Experience. George is an Emmy Award-winning producer, writer, and journalist with more than 25 years of experience in documentary, broadcast television, and digital content production. She has produced, developed, and commissioned innovative programming at CNN, NBC News, and ABC News. She was also the senior producer of CNN’s groundbreaking series Black in America and Latino in America and was executive producer of the eight-hour PBS documentary series 16 for '16: The Contenders, which was also broadcast on the BBC. George joined American Experience from ABC News, where she was head of development for long-form projects and was responsible for creating a pipeline of docuseries and feature documentary films across Walt Disney Television platforms, including ABC News, Hulu, National Geographic, and Disney+. She was recently named to The Root’s list of 2024’s 100 Most Influential Black Americans.  ---  Major funding for American Experience provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance, Carlisle Companies, and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Funding for Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP provided by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Additional funding for American Experience provided by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, The American Experience Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers.   

In honor of what would be Congressman Lewis’s 85th birthday on February 21st, 2025, Atlanta Downtown and WABE present a FREE screening of the documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble at the Rialto Center for the Arts at GSU, followed by a panel discussion with Atlanta civic leaders moderated by Rose Scott from WABE. Join us before the film for a lobby fair from 6:00 – 7:00 PM featuring activities by the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Theatre doors open at 6:30 PM and the film begins at 7:00 PM. The panel discussion will be held from 8:30 - 9:00 PM. PLUS: The first 200 attendees will receive a free birthday treat to celebrate the Congressman's 85th birthday! Sponsored by VyStar Credit Union

Join The National Center for Civil and Human Rights at Constellations on Auburn Avenue as we amplify the importance of Sweet Auburn in Black history. Learn local history from our speakers, take a tour with our staff, and enjoy music and refreshments throughout the day as we honor the important work that took place in these buildings.  Celebrating Black History in Sweet Auburn will feature engaging speakers at Constellations, a civic and socially based shared workspace in the Southern School Book Building. This building served as the headquarters for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) when John Lewis was its Chairperson.  Guests are invited to take our walking tour, which explores the meaning, importance, and impact of historic buildings and murals, including the District V "Honor" mural featuring Roslyn Pope and the John Lewis "HERO" mural.  The Burke Music Academy will perform at the Historic Daily World Building, which was where Club Poinciana operated between 1944 and 1954, below the Atlanta Daily World offices. Club Poinciana once featured such greats as Billie Holliday, Louis Armstrong, Little Richard, and Benny Goodman.   Light refreshments and children's activities will be provided.  This program is generously sponsored by PNC.     Featuring: Burke Music Academy   EVENT SCHEDULE Time Action Location 9:00am Doors Open Constellations and Atlanta Daily World 9:15am First Walking Tour begins (runtime approx 20 minutes) Meet in front of Atlanta Daily World 9:30am Kama Pierce greets guests and introduces Samantha Jones of PNC. Constellations Entertaining Space Opening Remarks and introduction of Jai Ferrell by Samantha Jones Constellations Entertaining Space 9:35am Remarks by Jai Ferrell, CEO of The Girl Scouts of Great Atlanta, followed by an introduction of Rhonda Barrow Constellations Entertaining Space Rhonda Barrow Speaks Constellations Entertaining Space 10:15am Second Walking Tour (runtime approx 20 minutes) Meet in front of Atlanta Daily World 10:35am Gene Kansas welcomes guests and introduces Tuere Butler Constellations Entertaining Space 10:40am Tuere Butler Speaks Constellations Entertaining Space 11:15am Burke Music Academy Performance Atlanta Daily World  11:30am Gene Kanas Speaks Constellations Entertaining Space 12:00pm Gene Kansas Book Signing Constellations Library 12:00pm Podcast Room is open for Oral History Constellations Podcast Room 12:00pm Third Walking Tour (runtime approx 20 minutes) Meet in front of Atlanta Daily World 12:30pm Burke Music Academy Performance Atlanta Daily World 1:00pm End of Program ONGOING ACTIVITIES  Time Action Location Ongoing Refugee Coffee - Tea and pastries Constellations and Atlanta Daily World Ongoing Crafts and interactive kids' activities Mission Control   FEATURED SPEAKERS Jai Ferrell is an award-winning global executive with expertise in leadership, commercial/revenue programming, marketing strategy, customer experience, operations, and personnel management.   Ms. Ferrell is the Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta (GSGATL), serving over 30,000 girls and volunteers. Most notably, she is the first person of color to lead the organization in its 100+ year history. Before joining GSGATL, she was the Chief Commercial Revenue Officer for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), managing the commercial portfolio that exceeded $1.5 billion in gross revenue each year under her leadership.    Rhonda Barrow is the Co-Public Relations Chair and Caribbean SIG Coordinator for the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.- Metro Atlanta and Jean Sampson Scott Greater New York Chapter. Ms. Barrow leads research on Atlanta’s first Black Girl Scout Troops, known as District V.  She researched and curated a District V Girl Scout exhibit at the Atlanta Girl Scout Council office, which was also featured at the Hartsfield Jackson Airport and the Atlanta History Center, and her work inspired the honor mural on the former Atlanta Daily World building in Sweet Auburn. She is a noted historian, receiving the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. National Certificate of Appreciation award for her research projects, among them The 100-Year Anniversary Coalition to ‘Remember the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot’ and the Bailey-Camp Project with the African American Heritage Museum and Research Center.     Tuere K. Butler, Strategic Operations & Culture Architect, grew up in Washington, D.C., but now calls Atlanta, GA home, residing in Poncey-Highlands with her husband, Nate, and their bernedoodle, Jettson. She is a proud alumna of Spelman College, where she earned her BA in English. For 22 years, Tuere's professional career was rooted in politics, serving Congressman John Lewis as his District Director in his Atlanta office. As his longest-serving employee, her portfolio included Homeland Security, Immigration, and Military & Veterans Affairs.  In the summer of 2024, Tuere returned to school and earned a certificate in Nonprofit Executive Management from Georgetown University, further strengthening her expertise in the nonprofit sector.  Most recently, Tuere served as the Director of Operations for Plywood People, a nonprofit based in Atlanta’s Historic West End that supports a global community of social impact leaders. She left Plywood People in August and now offers her expertise as a fractional executive, helping organizations build teams and foster healthy, efficient work cultures. Her skills have earned her invitations to speak on podcasts and at events, where she shares her best practices.  When she’s not working, Tuere spends her time mentoring young adults, traveling, and pursuing photography. She is deeply inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to action: "Life's most urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" This question continues to guide her commitment to empowering others and making a meaningful impact. 

Join us on Thursday, February 27, 2025, at the Oceans Ballroom at the Georgia Aquarium for Power to Inspire 2025. This special evening will honor The Honorable Shirley Franklin, former Mayor of Atlanta, recognizing her lifetime of achievements as mayor, policymaker, educator, and true public servant. The event begins at 6 PM with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and program at 7 PM, and concludes with a dessert reception. Cocktail attire is requested. Reserve your table or tickets today to be part of this inspiring celebration. 

Join us at St. Mark United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 15, from 2:00-4:00 PM, for our second annual Bayard Rustin Day, a cross-generational celebration of the legacy of civil rights icon and architect of the March on Washington, Bayard Rustin, who is featured at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.  The critically acclaimed 2024 Netflix film "Rustin," which received 13 wins and 66 award nominations, brought visibility and recognition to Bayard Rustin, a celebrated icon of the US Civil Rights movement who is featured at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.  Just two days before Bayard Rustin's birth (March 17, 1912), the LGBTQ+ Institute at NCCHR will celebrate its second annual Bayard Rustin Day, honoring the man who mobilized collective action for civil rights. Themed "Ready to Meet the Moment," the day will address what it means to be angelic troublemakers in light of attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, specifically trans and non-binary young people.  The day will include contributions from youth poets and a panel dedicated to addressing how we show up for trans and non-binary community members, followed by a fireside chat featuring Dr. Terence Lester on "Coming Out As an Ally." 

Join the Center for Civil and Human Rights at Westside Park for a day of music, wellness, and connection at Atlanta’s Soul Healing Picnic. This vibrant festival celebrates R&B, Soul, and the power of healing, featuring live DJs, great food, games, and wellness vendors. The Center will host an information table and guided walking tours, sharing the rich history of Westside Park and its significance in the community. Come out, feel the vibes, and enjoy a beautiful day of healing, joy, and celebration.