Experience Iconic Civil Rights Moments At Pop-Up Museum In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — Have you ever wondered what it’s like to sit in a desegregated classroom alongside Ruby Bridges, or be one of the Black college students who refused to leave the lunch counter at Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina? That’s the experience an interactive “pop-up museum” in Newark, New Jersey is hoping to give visitors this spring and summer.

Last week, Newark-based nonprofit Project Ready celebrated the grand opening of its first annual Newark Civil Rights: Pop-Up Museum. Free tickets are available online here.

The exhibit – located at 77-79 University Avenue – will be open to the public through June 30. See times and days here.

According to Project Ready, the exhibit features an immersive, social media-friendly experience that will allow visitors to explore historical moments of the Civil Rights movement and experience the power of voting – both past and present.

Visitors will also be able to participate in activities that include writing letters to their elected officials and recording audio messages about their hopes and dreams for the future.

“While some schools across the country ban books and films to whitewash and shelter youth from the uncomfortable parts of our past, we’re bringing history to life so a new generation can learn the truth,” Project Ready CEO Shennell McCloud said.

“We are thrilled to bring to life critical moments in Black history and hope that it will spur meaningful conversations and civic engagement,” McCloud said. “This interactive, Instragrammable experience presents an opportunity for a new generation to reconnect with history and be inspired by the bravery and resistance of those who fought for progress.”

Here are some of the exhibits that will be on display.

Through her Eyes: The Story of Ruby Bridges

Visitors can walk through a desegregated classroom centered on the Ruby Bridges experience. They will be able to capture photos of themselves sitting behind desks and learn about young Ruby Brides' struggles.

The Sitting for Justice exhibit: Woolworth's Lunch Counter

This exhibit is modeled after the experiences faced by four African American college students who sat down at a lunch counter at Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina, and politely asked for service. Their request was refused. When asked to leave, they remained in their seats. Their passive resistance and peaceful sit-down demand helped ignite a youth-led movement to challenge racial inequality throughout the South.

Rosa Parks: Claim your Seat!

Visitors can get on the Bus and claim their seats on the Project Ready's Freedom Ride bus. The exhibit features a vintage bus used during the civil rights era. They can snap pictures and pose with Rosa Park's image and other period historical figures.

The Ballot Box

There will be a polling booth and ballot box experience where people can learn how to vote. Team members will assist people in registering to vote. This Instagrammable display will be a hit with younger voters who may have never fully experienced casting a ballot.

The Dear Newark Exhibit

Visitors will write letters to their beloved City, displayed throughout the immersive experience. In addition, people can record audio and narrate their letters in our onsite podcast studio and sound booth. The space will also feature the stories of Newarkers, including Amiri Baraka, Carl Sharif, Robert Curvin, Dr. Clement Price, and others who have fought bravely for our civil rights.

Mahalia Jackson: "Tell them about the Dream Martin."

Visitors will have an opportunity to play the piano and sing with Mahalia Jackson. They will learn about Mahalia intervening at a critical junction when she decided Dr. King's famous speech needed a course correction. Recalling a theme she had heard him use in earlier speeches, Jackson said aloud to Martin Luther King Jr., from behind the podium on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, "Tell them about the dream, Martin." And at that moment, as seen in films of the speech, Dr. King leaves his prepared notes behind to improvise the next section of his speech. This historic section famously begins, "And even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream…."

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