The Southern Poverty Law Center’s Civil Rights Memorial Center (CRMC) will partner with 21 Dreams Arts & Culture to showcase art and activism in its many forms this month.
Whether through exhibits at local museums and historic sites, local gatherings or sporting events and activities, there are a plethora of spaces that share the story of racial and social justice, past and present in Montgomery, Alabama. Most stories are told through education and film, but there are also expressions of art and activism, including dance, poetry, music, fine art and much more.
We have been planning for the “Art is Activism” artist residency and block party since the end of 2024, and we are looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labor. This project will include artists from Alabama and North Carolina gathering in the city, exploring various sites and meeting with local civil rights leaders and advocates. The culmination of this effort will be the display of artwork during a block party at the CRMC on May 24.
Before the block party, however, the public will have had two opportunities to see the work the artists created during their residencies. The first was on May 17, and a second is scheduled for May 22. Both events at the CRMC serve as showcases for the work created through the artists in residence program. The participating artists will be on site showing their work that represents activism in its many forms.
The block party is scheduled for May 24 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. In addition to the artist showcases, those who attend will hear music, experience dancing, sample offerings from local food trucks and much more.
The CRMC is located just around the corner from the historic church where Martin Luther King Jr. served as pastor during the Montgomery Bus Boycott and near the Alabama Capitol steps, where King spoke to thousands at the conclusion of the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march. The CRMC serves as the interpretive center for the Civil Rights Memorial, which honors the martyrs of the movement and inspires visitors to continue the march for racial equity and social justice.
All of the “Art is Activism” events are free and open to the public.
We are excited to have community organizations, youth, poets, musicians and supporters join us as we continue telling the story. We hope to see you there!
Lauren Blanding is the manager of the Civil Rights Memorial Center.
Image at top: From left: Kalonji Gilchrist, executive director of 21 Dreams Arts & Culture, and Yogi Dada and Dasan Ahanu, artists in residence, during a talk at the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama, on May 17. (Credit: Hillary Hudson)