Introduction

Welcome to the Albany Civil Rights Institute (ACRI) website. This site serves as your interactive window into one of the most compelling and passionate times in history – The Albany Movement. Before the most notable civil rights confrontations graced the cover of Time and the evening news, Albany, Georgia, was one of the first civil rights battlegrounds where four major civil rights organizations joined forces.

ACRI brilliantly captures stories that emphasize the roles “ordinary” people can play as effective change agents. On our walls, in our halls, in our database, archives and programs, you will see “everyday” citizens who changed history with their courage, deeds and strength. Many of you will see your family, friends, neighbors, teachers, schools, store clerks, church members and most importantly – you will see yourself!

The Albany Civil Rights Institute will allow visitors to experience the civil rights movement in Southwest Georgia like never before. The legacy of those who have passed on and the stories of those who remain are now housed in a state-of-the-art facility where the past is joined with the future through visual, audio, and digital technology for all to see, hear and experience!