Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum facts for kids

The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum is a special place in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It's a museum that tells the story of African American people in the city. It shows how they lived from the time of slavery up to today. The museum especially focuses on the important civil rights movement. This movement was a big effort to gain equal rights for all people. The museum is named after Ralph Mark Gilbert, a key leader in this movement.

The Museum's Story

Ralph Mark Gilbert was a Baptist pastor and a very important civil rights leader. He was the pastor at First African Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia. He served there from 1939 to 1956. This church is one of the oldest black churches in the country, started in the 1770s.

Many people see Gilbert as the "father of the civil rights movement in Savannah." He led the Savannah chapter of the NAACP from 1942 to 1950. The NAACP is a group that works for equal rights for African Americans. Gilbert also started the Georgia Conference of the NAACP.

He worked hard to challenge unfair rules. For example, he fought against the "white primary" system. This system stopped African Americans from voting in important primary elections. Gilbert also organized voter registration drives. These drives helped many African Americans in the city sign up to vote.

How the Museum Began

In 1950, W. W. Law took over as president of the Savannah NAACP chapter. He continued Gilbert's work. Law played a huge role in making the civil rights museum a reality.

In 1993, Chatham County decided to help fund the museum. They used a special local sales tax for this purpose. A nonprofit organization led by W. W. Law then took charge of the museum. The museum is located in an old bank building from 1914. This building also used to be the headquarters for the NAACP chapter.

What You Can See

The museum officially opened in August 1996. It was a four-day celebration. Events included a big party called a "jubilee gala." There was also a meeting at First African Baptist Church. It even had a historical reenactment of a civil rights meeting. A march to the museum was also part of the celebration.

Inside the museum, you can see many interesting things. There is a lunch counter display. This reminds visitors of the lunch counter protests. These were protests where people sat at segregated lunch counters to demand equal service. You can also see photos of African-American businesses in the city. There is also an exhibit about Laurel Grove South Cemetery. This is a historic cemetery for African Americans in Savannah.