The popular narrative of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s focuses on a handful of larger-than-life figures. In reality, the legal and social advances of the movement were not brought about by a chosen few, but fought for by innumerable individuals who gave their time, skills, careers and sometimes even their lives to their cause.

The exhibition Everyday People: Highlights of the Civil Rights Movement from the Beverly Axelrod Papers shines a spotlight on the labor and experiences of ground-level participants in the movement. It highlights the difficulties they encountered, the strategies they employed, and the ways in which they took it upon themselves to do what they could to make a difference.

The exhibition is on view February 8 – May 14 in the Lincoln Exhibition Case, which is located outside the Special Collections Gallery in Morris Library. It can be viewed during Morris Library’s operating hours. The exhibition is also available online.

Admission is free. Please observe the University’s current COVID-19 health and safety protocols when visiting.