Students at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Sandy Springs have created an exhibit for the Center for Civil and Human Rights honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of his passing, the students designed an immersive experience entitled the Drum Major Instinct–Continue the March capturing King’s timeless message of social justice.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. the community is invited to the Center for a reception celebrating the exhibit as well as to provide participants the opportunity to hear the story behind the exhibit’s creation.
“Our mission, to empower people to take the protection of every human’s rights personally, could not have been better matched by this exhibit. As a juxtaposition of King’s words to live a committed life behind, the students’ first-person experience provided visitors the opportunity to learn about the work of contemporary activists who are affecting social change,” says Ted Ward, Education Coordinator with Center for Civil and Human Rights.
Rising Mount Vernon senior, Bryce Jones shares, “We wanted to make our exhibit as innovative as possible, while still drawing from the essential storytelling techniques that the Center used to design its main exhibit. Virtual reality is a fantastic medium for storytelling; putting on a headset transports you into an entirely different world. The time we spent on this exhibit really speaks to the power of its central message. We should all strive to be drum majors for justice.”
Some of the highlights of the exhibit include footage from the Women’s Day March and the March for Our Lives rally held in Atlanta. The team traveled to Memphis to film activists taking the stage to commemorate the 50th anniversary of MLK’s death at the Lorraine Motel. Notable people interviewed on camera were representatives from Congressman John Lewis’s office, local activists like Terence Lester of Love Beyond Walls, the Director of Stanford University’s MLK Institute, Dr. Clayborne Carson and the director of Georgia’s ACLU, Andrea Young.
“Over the course of the year, I watched this team grow into empathic storytellers who curated and created a truly unique experience looking at current activism through the lens of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. I was constantly impressed by their thoughtfulness and intentionality as they researched, interviewed, and connected with a diverse range of opinions, perspectives, and individuals,” says Innovation Diploma Director Brad Droke.
To learn more about the partnership between Mount Vernon and The Center for Civil and Human Rights, listen to a recent MV Stories podcast featuring the team of student curators and/or attend the reception on Tuesday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Center for Civil and Human Rights.
About Mount Vernon
Established in 1972, Mount Vernon Presbyterian School in Sandy Springs, Georgia serves children ages six weeks through Grade 12. MVPS is a school of inquiry, innovation, and impact. Grounded in Christian values, Mount Vernon prepares all students to be college-ready, globally competitive, and engaged citizen leaders. Ultimately, Mount Vernon is a destination for anyone wishing to design a better world.
About Innovation Diploma
Innovation Diploma, a joint program between Mount Vernon Presbyterian School and the Mount Vernon Institute for Innovation, is a student-run transformational design consultancy that inspires, creates, and implements high-impact work now.
About Center for Civil and Human Rights
The Center for Civil and Human Rights in downtown Atlanta is an engaging cultural attraction that connects the American Civil Rights Movement to today’s struggle for Global Human Rights. Its purpose is to create a safe space for visitors to explore the fundamental rights of all human beings so that they leave inspired and empowered to join the ongoing dialogue about human rights in their communities.
