Of Songs, Peace, and Struggle Series, Fighting for My Rights
name: label: Collection Collector
content: Maltsby, Portia
label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Program in African American Culture
setName: label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection
label: See more items in
content: Program in African American Culture Collection / Series 1: Program Files
unitdate: label: Date
content: 2000 January 15
container: label: Container
content: Box 25, Folder 17
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: As part of the commemoration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Program of African American Culture presents "Of Songs, Peace, and Struggle". This annual public program series is dedicated to the presentation of Civil Rights Movement history and culture. Each year the program calls on activists of the Movement who engaged in civil disobedience and nonviolent confrontation to share their experiences with an audience, answer questions and promote discussion. The series also includes musical performances and exhibition tours. This year's program "Fighting for My Rights" focused on the theme of student activism and the role of youth in the Civil Rights Movement. The young students shared their experiences regarding the distance between themselves and their families, who were reluctant to allow them to face such dangers and risks. 

Participants included:

June Johnson, former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) organizer in the Mississippi Delta

Martha Prescod Norman, activist, former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) field secretary, university instructor

Zoharah Simmons, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)  activist


Program number AC408.110.