Modern Design for a Movement: The National Center for Civil and Human Rights opens in Atlanta

     The National Center for Civil and Human Rights         

To demonstrate the magnitude of The Civil Rights Movement, Doug Shipman, CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, abandoned the conventional approach to building a historical monument. Instead, he recruited three of the best storytellers in African-American history. His team included architect Phil Freelon, Tony Award winning playwright George C. Wolfe and architect David Rockwell all of whom contributed their creative genius to complete one of the most important structures in the United States.

“The building has staying power with regard to the message,” Freelon, founder of Freelon Group, says. “I hope it’s not just a fad that’s topical for this time.”

Designing a building to reflect a movement 

Freelon designed The of Museum of African Diaspora in San Francisco and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History and Culture in Baltimore Freelon says each space has a unique story which he incorporated into the design aesthetic.

Architect Phil Freelon

"The Museum of African Diaspora is a big story in a small package. The content and exhibition are part of the building and spill out onto the street,” Freelon explains.  “At the Reginald Lewis Museum we wanted to reconcile the dichotomy of tension and violence of the African-American community in Baltimore.”

Freelon took a more optimistic approach to designing the NCCHR. He created open space allowing light to stream in through glass windows and panes. The light is symbolic of the hope found during one of the darkest times in American history.

“There are so many sad stories that are told, but what about the jubilation,” Freelon explains.

The exhibit moves with visitors as they walk through the center. Panels on the walls are suspended from the ceiling making the content accessible from every angle. The curved corridors are layered with photos and newspaper clippings that tell how the movement ignited change. The  design of the building is suggestive of a gathering place Freelon explains referencing the Mall on Washington and Arab Spring where transformative political and social upheaval happened. The flowing lines throughout the structure emphasize the evolution of the struggle for equality. 

“We wanted a space available for a monument site with these walls that become caressing hands,” Freelon explains. “The cascading landscape serves as an amphitheater and the shape of the site is informing visitors of how you move through the building. It’s about movement because the story is still unfolding.”

Telling the story

                     The entrance gallery at the NCCHR              

Shipman wanted to share the stories in a way that compliments the building which sits on a incline making it visible from Spring St and West Peachtree St. Located downtown NCCHR nestled on a hill  just feet away from the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola on walking path where dedicated to the millions of tourists that visit Atlanta every year. Shipman says the project was driven by content, location and the narrative they were piecing together. He courted Wolfe as a potential Chief Creative Officer for the center, but Wolfe couldn't understand how he fit into this particular story. Wolfe, who created a career out of song and dance, didn't see how his talent translated to designing exhibitions. After some explanation, he realized he always producing exhibitions as musicals, but  it wasn’t until a conversation during a dinner outing that the  playwright finally yielded. 

“He turned to me and asked 'What am I doing here?' and I said "If you weren’t writing Broadway what would you be doing?" He said 'Teaching history.'  I said 'This is your chance to be a history teacher every day,” Shipman recalls. “George C. Wolfe did a tremendous job in making sure the building and exhibits complemented each other."

Wolfe found his inspiration from living newspapers, a practice used by unemployed actors who perform newspaper headlines. The technique blends the drama  of every day life with the third person perspective that translates well on the stage. For this particular project, he pulled on elements from Bring Da Noise, Bring Da Funk and The Normal Heart, now an HBO original movie. 

“While I was reading newspapers I was startled at how young these people were. Claudette Colvin refused to give up her seat nine months before Rosa Parks," Wolfe says. "She said I’m not going to flirt with boys or  play jacks, I am going to challenge history.”

The curved corridors are layered with newspaper clippings from the 60’s and the faces of those who contributed to The Civil Rights Movement. Wolfe says he wanted to convey the humanity of the people who fought for the equal rights of Blacks and people all over the world.

“It isn’t history. It's not over there. It’s something that happened to fragile people. People were doing what they believed, it was not an intellectual decision, because they were threatened in a direct way." 

Channeling Civil Rights leaders Wolfe meditated on some very bold questions these American heroes were asking themselves about their place in our world like: How am I a citizen of the world? How do I protect my world, my family and the people I love? The universal themes of the questions helped him form visually immersive exhibitions that resonate with diverse audiences. Wolfe submitted a physical drawing to Shipman illustrating how each story would intersect  at the NCCHR. Shipman says the actual center is almost identical to Wolfe’s vision - to translate the courage of the civil rights leaders to people who may have never heard about the struggle. 

“They were ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” Wolfe says. “It was about joining together with others to craft a landscape that will make the world a better and safer place.

*The NCCHR is currently closed due to an expansion project and will re-open in August 2025