SPLC’s Civil Rights Memorial Center Hosts Live Virtual MLK Event
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Civil Rights Memorial Center (CRMC), a Montgomery-based interpretive center for the modern civil rights movement, hosted a live virtual event today commemorating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The event, titled “The March Continues: Building Collective Power to Impact Policy and Dismantle Systems of Oppression in 2021 and Beyond,” included a panel discussion about movement-building strategies that center communities of color. Panelists also shared their thoughts about the impact of the 2020 U.S. election following a tumultuous four years under President Trump who was recently impeached for inciting a violent mob attack at the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead and dozens injured on Jan. 6.
“On Dr. King’s birthday, and the national holiday in which we honor him and his legacy, we are reminded that the threat to freedom and human rights is far from over,” said CRMC Director Tafeni English. “In light of the events of this past week, it is clear we have much work to do to combat white supremacy in this country and ensure that the promise of the civil rights movement that Dr. King committed his life to is fully realized. We can only achieve this by working together.”
Panelists for the event included Dr. Eddie Moore, director of The Privilege Institute and The National White Privilege Conference; Timothy Ragland, mayor of Talladega, Ala.; and Tameika Atkins, executive director of Pro Georgia.
Civil Rights Activist and Author Sheyann Webb-Christburg, referred to by Dr. King as the “Smallest Freedom Fighter,” delivered the event’s keynote address. The event also featured special messages by Margaret Huang, Southern Poverty Law Center President and CEO, and Former U.S Senate candidate Jaime Harrison.
The CRMC, sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center, is located around the corner from the church where Dr. King served as pastor during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Alabama Capitol steps where the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march ended in 1965. King is among the 40 martyrs of the modern civil rights movement honored on The Memorial outside the CRMC.
