Controversy delays Civil Rights Museum construction
Woodworth Chapel at Tougaloo College was the site of numerous civil rights gatherings in the 1960s, including rallies led by Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, Harry Belafonte and Joan Baez. A state commission proposed the college as the site for the future National Civil Rights Museum. (Photo courtesy Bruce O’Hara/Tougaloo College)
Last year, Gov. Haley Barbour organized a commission to select a suitable location for the museum. In March 2008, the commission settled upon Tougaloo College in a 22-9 vote.
Critics of the commission’s decision say downtown Jackson would be a more appropriate location for the museum. They argue that Jackson was the center of the state’s civil rights activities and that it would offer more convenient access for tourists.
Supporters of the commission’s decision say the museum will be equally successful at Tougaloo.
They point out that the college — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — also played a key role in the state’s civil-rights struggle.
“Tougaloo’s interest stems from its established identity as the ‘cradle of the civil rights movement in Mississippi,’ (and) its commitment to the principles of freedom, justice and fairness,” said Beverly Hogan, Tougaloo College president.
Mississippi Historical Society curator Clarence Hunter maintains that both sides have valid points, but said, “Tougaloo does occupy a place in the civil rights movement.”
Plans indicate that the multimillion-dollar museum will be 73,650 square feet and will include a theater, store, garden, exhibit space, classrooms, meeting rooms and an interpretive center.
The National Civil Rights Museum will occupy nine acres of investment property owned by Tougaloo. It will sit alongside the college on West County Line Road, making it visible from Interstate 55.
Barbour intended to designate a board of directors to further steer the direction of the project. However, because of the challenge of finding money in a down economy, no additional progress has yet been made.
With its history of helping movement leaders and its student-led efforts like those of the Tougaloo Nine and the sit-in at Woolworths, Tougaloo College was an active participant in the battle to break Mississippi segregation.
“Tougaloo has always been dedicated to human dignity,” said Hunter.
“(Tougaloo has a) continued interest in ensuring that this transformative period in America’s history is preserved and shared and used as an educational guide to continue to advance a humane and just society,” Hogan said.
Officials expect the museum to attract about 125,000 visitors a year, hopefully boosting the Jackson area’s tourism.
