Mission
THE MISSION OF THE ALBANY CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE IS TO SERVE AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE RICH HISTORY OF ALBANY AND SOUTHWEST GEORGIA'S AFRICAN AMERICAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE CULMINATING IN THE MODERN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THE INSTITUTE SERVES THE COMMUNITY BY: -COLLECTING MATERIALS RELATED TO THE LONG FREEDOM MOVEMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLES IN SOUTHWEST GEORGIA; -PRESERVING HISTORIC PROPERTIES RELATING TO AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE, SPECIFICALLY THE 1906 OLD MT. ZION BAPTIST CHURCH; -PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND FOR THE PUBLIC THROUGH MONTHLY COMMUNITY NIGHTS; -PROVIDING SCHOLARS ACCESS TO THE RICH RESOURCES IN OUR ARCHIEVES THAT DOCUMENT THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AFRICAN AMERICAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE; -PROVIDING A TOURISM RESOURCE AS A HISTORICAL SITE OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL INTEREST; -SERVING AS A CATALYST FOR FUTURE PRESERVATION AND REDEVELOPMENT OF SURROUNDING BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES;