Newseum's Exhibit on the American Civil Rights Movement, 'Make Some Noise,' Opens Today

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, in time for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, the Newseum opens "Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement," an exhibit that explores the new generation of student leaders in the early 1960s who fought segregation by exercising their First Amendment rights and making their voices heard. 

The exhibit spotlights key figures in the student civil rights movement, including John Lewis, now a U.S. representative from Georgia, and Julian Bond, who later became chairman of the NAACP. Through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, young activists took direct action to end segregation and break down racial barriers in voting rights, education and the workplace by organizing sit-ins, marches and voter registration drives.

The exhibit also features a section of the original F.W. Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where in 1960 four African-American college students launched the sit-in movement, and a bronze casting of the Birmingham, Ala., jail cell door behind which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. penned his famous "Letter From Birmingham Jail" in 1963.

In addition to "Make Some Noise," the Newseum is launching a changing exhibit, "1963: Civil Rights at 50," which chronicles milestones in the civil rights movement from 1963 using historic front pages, magazines and news images. The three-year exhibit will be updated in 2014 and 2015 to cover key civil rights events from 1964 and 1965.

On Aug. 22, 2013, the Newseum, in partnership with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), will host a free evening event, "Covering Civil Rights: On the Front Lines." The 7 p.m. event will include a special appearance by Elder Bernice King, chief executive officer of The King Center and daughter of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Rev. King will receive the NCNW's 2013 Leadership Award.

Moderated by Sirius XM radio host Joe Madison, the event will also feature a discussion with journalist Simeon Booker, author of "Shocking the Conscience: A Reporter's Account of the Civil Rights Movement," who was on the front lines of covering the civil rights story. The event is free and open to the public, but seats are limited and must be reserved at CoveringCivilRights.eventbrite.com.

The "Make Some Noise" exhibit is a permanent addition to the Newseum. "Civil Rights at 50" will be on display through 2015.

More about the Newseum's civil rights initiatives can be found at newseum.org/civilrights.

About the Newseum 
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum's 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits, and its Newseum Institute serves as a forum for the study, exploration and education of the First Amendment. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information, visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About the National Council of Negro Women 
The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) is a council of national African American women's organizations and community-based sections. Founded in 1935, the NCNW mission is to lead, develop, and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. NCNW fulfills this purpose through research, advocacy, and national and community-based services and programs on issues of health, education, and economic empowerment in the United States and Africa. With its 39 national affiliates and more than 240 sections, NCNW is a 501(c)3 organization with an outreach to nearly four million women.

Related Links:
New exhibit "Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement"
New exhibit "1963: Civil Rights at 50"

Video with caption: "On Aug. 2, the Newseum opens 'Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement,' an exhibit that explores the new generation of student leaders in the early 1960s who fought segregation by exercising their First Amendment rights and making their voices heard. The exhibit features a section of the original lunch counter in Greensboro, N.C., where in 1960 four African-American college students launched the sit-in movement, and a bronze casting of the Birmingham, Ala., jail cell door behind which the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. penned his famous 'Letter From Birmingham Jail' in 1963." Video available at: http://youtu.be/0wTIuU0zmoc

Image with caption: "A Newseum visitor reads about the F.W. Woolworth lunch counter where in 1960 four African-American college students launched the sit-in movement. 'Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement' opens Aug. 2." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130802/MM57661-a

Image with caption: "'Make Some Noise: Students and the Civil Rights Movement' explores the new generation of student leaders in the early 1960s who fought segregation by exercising their First Amendment rights and making their voices heard." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130802/MM57661-b

SOURCE Newseum