Civil Rights Museum Gets $40 Million Boost

The Atlanta City Council has approved up to $40 million in funding for the proposed Center for Civil and Human Rights. The $40 million will cover about one-third of the museum’s $125 million cost.

The measure, which is part of a package of public projects within the Westside Atlanta tax allocation district, was approved by City Council on August 18.

Planned for the Centennial Olympic Park area, the 100,000-square-foot museum is slated to house the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The facility will also give visitors a place to learn about the past and engage conversations about the future.

"This is a great day for the titans and the foot soldiers in the movement," said Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall, who represents the area. "With the Center, we are closer than ever to realizing a unique civil and human rights heritage experience for Atlanta and the world. The Center helps us connect the dots between the Atlanta University Center on the west, Sweet Auburn and the King Historic District in the downtown area, and the Carter Center on the east."

The center will also be a portal for exploration and discussion through performances, lectures, and symposiums.

"The museum will highlight the contributions of individuals, institutions, and events associated with Georgia," said City Council President Lisa M. Borders. "The center will serve as a historical marker and reminder of Atlanta's leadership on civil and human rights as well as an educational resource for the entire community."

Established in February 2007, the Center for Civil and Human Rights partnership consists of the Atlanta Development Authority and Central Atlanta Progress – with Doug Shipman at the helm as the executive director.

For an overview of the Center for Civil and Human Rights visit www.civilandhumanrights.org.