Exhibit on Civil Rights Leader Lonnie C. King, Jr. coming to Dougherty County Public Library
Albany, Georgia – The traveling exhibit Lonnie C. King Jr.: The Life and Legacy of a Civil Rights Leader, will be on display at Northwest Library from February 9 to March 9, 2026. This free exhibition offers community members a look into the life and work of Lonnie C. King Jr., an influential figure in the Civil Rights Movement, and best known for his work with the Atlanta Student Movement in the 1960s.
Born in Arlington, Ga, Lonnie King, Jr. was a strong activist in the fight for racial equality, a founding member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and leader of the Committee on the Appeal for Human Rights. As a student at Morehouse College, King co-authored the Appeal for Human Rights, a manifesto published in 1960 advocating for equality, justice, and desegregation in Atlanta, which sparked a wave of peaceful protests across the region.
“Georgia Public Library Service is proud to facilitate the Lonnie C. King, Jr. traveling exhibit, and we encourage everyone to visit a participating library to explore this important time in history,” said Julie Walker, state librarian and vice chancellor of Libraries and Archives.
The exhibition, curated from Lonnie C. King, Jr.’s personal papers and historical documents, highlights his incredible journey and legacy. It was created through a collaboration between Georgia State University Library’s Special Collection and Archives and the Georgia State Honors College. Additional support was provided by The Rich’s Foundation and Georgia Humanities in partnership with Georgia Public Library Service and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and through appropriations made by the Georgia General Assembly.
Through Georgia Public Library Service and partner organizations across the state, public libraries provide families with free educational, cultural, and educational opportunities. This traveling exhibit will visit 12 public libraries to offer communities an opportunity to learn about the civil rights leader’s life and role in reshaping the South during the Civil Rights Movement.
For the full tour schedule visit georgialibraries.org/king.
“We at the University Library are honored to be the stewards of these valuable pieces of our nation’s history and be able to preserve, curate, and showcase the transformative legacy of Lonnie King Jr.,” said Christina Zamon, head of the Special Collections and Archives Department at the Georgia State University Library. “We are grateful to the work of Dean Sarah Cook and the Georgia State Honors College, the generosity of the Rich’s Foundation and the support of Georgia Humanities for bringing this collection and exhibit to public libraries across Georgia, so that all Georgians can learn about Mr. King’s enduring impact on human and civil rights.”
Learn more about Georgia State University Library Special Collections Department’s mission to collect and preserve unique historical materials at library.gsu.edu/special-collections.
Georgia Public Library Service empowers libraries to improve the lives of all Georgians by providing innovative, scalable library technology and services; staff training and best practices; grant administration and more to create a quality library experience for patrons, no matter where they live.
About The Dougherty County Public Library
Dougherty County Public Library strengthens the community by inspiring, encouraging, and supporting life-long learning for all through five locations throughout Albany and Dougherty County, including the Main/Central Library in downtown Albany, Northwest, Southside, Westtown and Tallulah Massey branches. www.docolib.org
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