NEW ORLEANS (NOLA NOW) - Some major moments in the nation’s Civil Rights Movement were inspired and led by heroes right here in Louisiana. The Louisiana Civil Rights Museum is the state’s first museum solely dedicated to highlighting Louisiana’s important role in the civil rights movement at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Located near the Julia Street entrance of the Convention Center, the museum is a historic journey 30 years in the making, starting when Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser envisioned a trail to honor our state’s role in the modern Civil Rights Movement.
The museum is divided into three paths: right to vote, right to assemble and right to education. Several interactive exhibits teach visitors about the past and the efforts to end segregation and create equal opportunity for everyone.
Creative content curator Ernest English said part of his work was to help shine a spotlight on the leadership role Louisiana played in the national civil rights movement.
“You had the Baton Rouge bus boycott led by T.J. Jemison in Baton Rouge that came before the Montgomery bus boycott and Martin Luther King actually used that as a blueprint in executing what those civil rights heroes did in Montgomery,” English said.
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Another highlight of the museum is an interactive feature called the “Dream Cube.” Inside the Dream Cube virtual reality experience, you can hear stories from animated characters offering their perspectives such as Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost and Gail Etienne.
Museum hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, visit the website.
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