ATLANTA – The Georgia Historical Society announced that it has received a total of $ 85,000 from the Rich Foundation to help expand the Georgia Civil Rights Trail in the greater Atlanta area.
The proposed new historical markers will connect more than 40 existing historical markers on the nationwide trail and focus on the people, places and events associated with the modern struggle for civil and human rights. Established in 2015, the Georgia Civil Rights Trail is an integral part of GHS ‘ongoing work to recognize the rich diversity of our state’s past and improve the public’s understanding of the economic, social, political, and cultural history of the civil rights movement through drawing visitors and residents alike to places in our state where the movement took place.
“Telling the stories of the Georgia civil rights movement has never been more important,” said W. Todd Groce, president and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society. “Racial justice and equality issues are in the headlines, but we cannot understand everything if we do not understand the story behind these issues and how we got there. With this grant, GHS can shed new light on the legacy of Georgian civil rights and ensure that the public debate is informed about where we are going from here.
“We are deeply grateful to the Rich Foundation for making this possible.”
The Rich Foundation is a private foundation based in Atlanta whose purpose is to serve nonprofit organizations in the arts, civics, education, health, environmental, and social areas in the Atlanta metropolitan area. While the foundation supports all of these areas, its main focus has been on education and social justice. The foundation, established in 1943, was created to distribute a portion of the profits of Rich’s Inc., the Atlanta department store. Over the years, the foundation has been a major supporter of Atlanta’s community and educational life.
The Georgia Historical Society will work with community partners and stakeholders to develop and dedicate the new markers in the greater Atlanta area.
For more information on the Georgia Civil Rights Trail Marker Program, please contact Patricia Meagher, GHS Communications Director at [email protected] or call (912) 651-2125, ext 153.
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