{"id":8150,"date":"2018-12-04T12:36:33","date_gmt":"2018-12-04T17:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8150"},"modified":"2025-02-28T09:58:27","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T14:58:27","slug":"before-and-beyond-1968-three-civil-rights-movements-in-america-an-scrc-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8150","title":{"rendered":"Before and Beyond 1968: Three Civil Rights Movements in America, an SCRC Exhibition"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCRC’s current exhibition documents three Civil Rights movements using archival materials in our holdings.\u00a0The exhibition will be on display until February 21, 2019.\u00a0 A reception for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, January 31, 2019 in SCRC, Fenwick 2400. The reception will include comments on the exhibition by the curators and Robinson Professor, Dr. Spencer Crew, a tour of the exhibition, and food and refreshments.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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Coretta Scott King and members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference march on May 30, 1968.
The Poor People\u2019s Campaign of 1968 extended the struggle for racial equality to the cause of economic justice in America\u2019s slums. From May 12 to June 24 1968, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the National Mall demanding federal action to alleviate poverty as SCLC leaders, joined by the National Welfare Rights Organization, lobbied Congress for the creation of employment programs and low-income housing and a guaranteed minimum annual income for all Americans.
Jack Rottier photograph collection # C0003 Box 8 Page 27
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

Selma. Seneca Falls. Stonewall.<\/p>\n

Three names. Three places. Three movements. These separate flashpoints in history were tied together through shared goals. Selma<\/strong>: marchers in 1965 showed their resolve supporting voting rights of African Americans in the face of sustained and often lethal segregationist repression. The Seneca Falls<\/strong> Convention: the women\u2019s rights movement officially began there in 1848. The LGBT community\u2019s liberation movement started at the Stonewall <\/strong>Inn\u2014not as a peaceful convention, but with riots and protests.<\/p>\n

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Cleo, a servant girl at Sully (tintype photograph), 1865
This is a tintype, a photograph made by fixing an image on a thin sheet of metal, of a former slave girl on the Haight family\u2019s Sully Plantation in western Fairfax County. She was given her freedom in 1862 by the Haights and was given passage to Ohio so that she would not be captured by a Confederate soldier and taken to the deep south and be placed in slavery.
Alexander Haight Family collection C0159, Box 3, Folder 2
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

Before and Beyond 1968: Three Civil Rights Movements in America <\/em>exhibits materials from the collections in the George Mason University Libraries Special Collections Research Center (SCRC). The items in the cases are from selected individuals and organizations involved in some way with these three civil rights movements. The displayed pieces were created between the 19th<\/sup> through 21st<\/sup> century, and originate primarily in the United States. This limitation applies only to our collections; the pursuit of equal rights by minorities is global in scope and extends long before the 1800s…and continues today.<\/p>\n

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Map of the United States Showing Progress of Equal Suffrage, Mass. Woman Suffrage Association, 1915
This map illustrates the progress of women\u2019s voting rights in the United States of America as of 1915. Women gained the right to vote in the 19th Amendment, passed in 1920.
Rare Books, JK1896 .M36 1915
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

So, why 1968 as a specific point for this exhibit? Fifty years ago, the United States (and the world) was experiencing deep unrest and violence. The assassination of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. in April was followed by riots nationwide. Within the following week, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Acts of 1968 (Fair Housing Act) ensuring equal housing rights \u201cregardless of race, color, religion, or national origin.\u201d Soon after, over 3,000 people camped on the National Mall as part of the Poor People\u2019s Campaign highlighting the economic injustice of impoverished Americans. Robert Kennedy, presidential candidate and brother of JFK, was assassinated in June. The Black Panther Party gained greater prominence as they took an increased militant and activist role in the burgeoning Black Power movement. During the Olympics, two US Olympic medal winners each raised a fist in support of Black Power in the televised medal ceremony. Protests of support or opposition to civil rights (and the Vietnam War) erupted across the country, roiling citizens, college students, and elected leaders.\u00a0 The intensity of this heightened struggle for African Americans\u2019 civil rights in the 1960s reenergized the women\u2019s movement in the 1970s, and infused the LGBTQ civil rights movement with nonviolent and activist approaches from the 1960s to the present.<\/p>\n

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The Ballad of Reading Gaol, Oscar Wilde, 1925
Long-form poem written by Wilde in 1898 after his release from Reading Gaol (Jail) in Ireland. He served two years’ hard labor for being a homosexual.
Rare Books, PR5818 .B2 1925
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

This exhibit, through what might be characterized as ordinary (but often painful) documents, attempts to illuminate parts of these three civil rights movements. Each movement features archival resources that document the story. Photographs educate and, sometimes, inspire one to action. Reports present researched facts. Letters reveal personal opinions. Plays and books interpret past and present realities, or anticipate future ones. The actions of people \u2013 of our fellow citizens \u2013 reflect the times in which they lived, their individual challenges, choices made, their perspectives and vision for the future. Although incomplete, this exhibit is an invitation to more deeply examine the long, slow march of civil rights history in the United States.<\/p>\n

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Gwendolyn Gibson, June 1960
Saturday Evening Post photographer Oliver Atkins was given an assignment to photograph journalist Gwendolyn Gibson who had recently written an article on \u201ccharm schools\u201d. Atkins\u2019 photographs reinforce 1960s notions of feminine beauty, and the letter from The Post\u2019s photography editor is a study in male attitudes regarding same.
Oliver F. Atkins photograph collection #C0036, Box 72 Folder 10
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cBefore and Beyond 1968\u201d is curated by Lynn Eaton (Director, Special Collections Research Center) and Bob Vay (Digital Collections and Exhibition Archivist, Special Collections Research Center). Consultation provided by Spencer Crew (Robinson Professor of African American and Public History).<\/p>\n

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Civil Rights March on Washington, August 1963
In this photograph, marchers take part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his \u201cI Have a Dream\u201d speech at this march.
Oliver F. Atkins photograph collection #C0036, Box 72 Folder 10
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

The exhibition will be on display until February 21, 2019.<\/p>\n

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Demonstrations against an LGBTQ Center at George Mason University, November 20, 1996
These photographs were captured by Broadside photographer Tom LeGro at the Board of Visitors meeting on November 20, 1996. The Visitors were considering funding for an LGBTQ center on the Fairfax Campus of George Mason University.
George Mason University Broadside photograph collection #R0135
Box 23 Page 134
Special Collections Research Center
George Mason University Libraries<\/p><\/div>\n

Follow Special Collections Research Center on Social Media\u00a0at\u00a0our\u00a0Facebook,\u00a0Instagram, and\u00a0Twitter\u00a0accounts. To search the collections\u00a0held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our\u00a0website\u00a0and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail\u00a0us or call if you would like to\u00a0schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCRC’s current exhibition documents three Civil Rights movements using archival materials in our holdings.\u00a0The exhibition will be on display until February 21, 2019.\u00a0 A reception for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, January 31, 2019 in SCRC, Fenwick 2400. The reception will include comments on the exhibition by the curators and Robinson Professor, Dr. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[580,171,562,356],"class_list":["post-8150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exhibits","tag-african-american-history","tag-civil-rights","tag-exhibitions","tag-women"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-27s","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8229,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8229","url_meta":{"origin":8150,"position":0},"title":"Before and Beyond 1968: Exhibit Reception","author":"admin","date":"January 23, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"SCRC is hosting an exhibit discussion and reception for\u00a0Before + Beyond 1968: Three Civil Rights Movements in America\u00a0on Thursday Jan. 31, 2019. It will run from\u00a03:30 - 5:00 and will take place in the Seminar Room in\u00a0 SCRC, 2400 Fenwick. The featured speaker is Dr. Spencer Crew, George Mason University\u00a0Robinson\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/CivilRightsExhibitRECEPTION2019.HP_.400.png?fit=400%2C240&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8182,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8182","url_meta":{"origin":8150,"position":1},"title":"Before and Beyond 1968: Margaret Fuller","author":"admin","date":"January 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was written by Emily Rusch, Research Services Assistant. Come visit Fenwick Library and check out our civil rights exhibit on the second floor! This exhibit highlights three different civil rights movements that took place in the United States. These three movements focused on equal rights for African-Americans, women,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Memoirs-of-Margaret-Fuller.jpg?fit=475%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7604,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7604","url_meta":{"origin":8150,"position":2},"title":"New Exhibit in SCRC First Class: Mason ’68 and Beyond","author":"Bob Vay","date":"June 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"On June 9, 1968 George Mason College of the University of Virginia awarded its first baccalaureate degrees to 52 candidates. Prior to that George Mason, then part of the University of Virginia's system of branch\u00a0 colleges, awarded only a two-year associate degree.\u00a0 Attendees were encouraged to complete their degree at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "exhibits"","block_context":{"text":"exhibits","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=22"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/First-ClassMason68.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9519,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=9519","url_meta":{"origin":8150,"position":3},"title":"Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment in the Midst of COVID-19 – Part 1","author":"Bob Vay","date":"March 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This is Part 1 of a two-part article. Part 2 can be accessed here. SCRC planned an exhibit of materials to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in the fall of 2020. The exhibit was intended to coincide with a panel discussion\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Digital Collections"","block_context":{"text":"Digital Collections","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=557"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/awomanregistered-scaled.jpg?fit=714%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/awomanregistered-scaled.jpg?fit=714%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/awomanregistered-scaled.jpg?fit=714%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/awomanregistered-scaled.jpg?fit=714%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6771,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6771","url_meta":{"origin":8150,"position":4},"title":"“Our Comics, Ourselves”: New Exhibition in SCRC and Fenwick Gallery","author":"admin","date":"August 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Fenwick Gallery and Special Collections Research Center at Fenwick Library on George Mason University's Fairfax campus are pleased to host \u201cOur Comics, Ourselves,\u201d an exhibition highlighting themes of identity, expression, and representation in comic books and graphic novels. 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We are so excited to be finishing up our new exhibition of staff picks. For the first time, we have created an online exhibition that follows along with our physical one and would love for people to interact. 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