Albany Georgia

Albany Civil Rights Institute houses information and memorabilia about the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in Albany, Georgia. Albany Civil Rights Museum is located in Old Mt. Zion Church, the overflow gathering place for mass meetings during the 1960s march for freedom and social change in Albany and Southwest, Georgia. Museum highlights are monthly performances by the Freedom Singers and Community Night lectures. Across the street from the museum at Old Mt. Zion, is still functioning Shiloh Baptist Church, the birthplace of the movement and main location of the mass meetings. Telephone: 229-432-1698 Fax: 229-432-2150 Nearest hotel: Hilton Garden Inn

During the days of segregation, the Albany Bus Station restaurant was off limits to African-Americans. Although African-Americans were the major customers of bus transportation into and out of Albany, they could only purchase and be served food from a small window in the back of the bus station. In 1961, Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee members and others protested the racial status quo at the Albany Bus Station by seating themselves in the restaurant.

Today this bus station is owned by an African-American native Albanian, who provides transit services for Dougherty, Lee, Worth, Terrell and Colquitt Counties. The restaurant has also been the location of an African-American owned diner. Footprints on the sidewalk on the north side of the bus station commemorate the Albany, Georgia Civil Rights marches of the 1960s. Nearest hotel: Hilton Garden Inn

During the 1960s mass meetings at which local civil rights marches were organized, the meetings were held at Shiloh Baptist Church. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed overflowing crowds from Shiloh's pulpit. To accomodate the crowd, the church accross the street, Old Mt. Zion Baptist Church which is now the Civil Rights Museum, was used as an overflow area. Shiloh is still a functioning Missionary Baptist Church. A trail of footprints originating in front of the church and ending at the Albany Bus Station, commemorate the Albany Civil Rights Marches which originated at Shiloh and ended with arrest at the bus station. Nearest hotel: Hilton Garden Inn

Events at Shiloh:   

The United States Post Office – Courthouse, built in 1912, is the service site of the first female U. S. Postmaster, Nellie Brimberry, appointed by President William Howard Taft. This 2900 square foot building of Renaissance style, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The second and third floors are the former location of the Court of the United States Middle District of Georgia (predecesssor of C. B. King United States Courthouse) and the Selective Service Board. The courtroom on the third floor was the site of the 1961 trial and conviction of Preston King, an African-American and native Albanian who refused to honor his military draft because, after finding out he was an African-American, local representatives of the Selective Service Board refused to call him “Mr.” Upon his conviction, Preston fled to England. He returned to the United States in 2000 after being pardoned by President William Jefferson Clinton. Nearest hotel: Hilton Garden Inn

C. B. King United States Courthouse is named for the late African-American Civil Rights Attorney and Albany, Georgia native Chevene Bowers King. C. B. King United States Courthouse is located two blocks away from the original United States Middle District of Georgia Court location: United States Post Office – Courthouse.   Nearest hotel: Hilton Garden Inn