Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black Americans while reflecting on the struggles that have shaped history. The National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta is committed to preserving these vital stories through immersive exhibitions and educational programs. By connecting past and present, the Center inspires meaningful change and ongoing conversations about justice and equality.

As both a museum and a human rights organization, the Center highlights the fight for civil rights in the U.S. while addressing global struggles for justice. Signature exhibits include Rolls Down Like Water, which chronicles the Civil Rights Movement, and galleries featuring the papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These powerful displays ensure that pivotal moments in history remain visible, relevant, and impactful for future generations.

Through its Truth + Transformation initiative, the Center collaborates with community organizations to confront Atlanta’s history of racial terror, forced labor, and systemic racism. By uncovering suppressed narratives—such as the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre—this program fosters public education, remembrance, and healing. Memorialization projects, fellowships, and public events serve as platforms for truth-telling and community-driven discussions.

This month, we are featuring a guest blog by Kama Pierce, the Chief Program Officer (CPO) at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. In her blog, she explores the importance of uncovering buried histories and the impact of truth in shaping a more just future. We invite you to read her powerful insights and join us in honoring Black history, learning from the past, and taking action for a more equitable world.

Opening the Lid on History

When I turned ten, my older brother—ever the prankster—gave me a can of my favorite candies. I was thrilled. But when I eagerly popped the lid, a swarm of springy, fabric-covered worms shot into the air instead of chewy sweets. If you’ve ever fallen victim to this classic joke, you know the deal: once the can is open, there’s no stopping the surprise inside.

History is a lot like that.

At the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia, we are committed to opening those metaphorical cans—the stories that have been buried, overlooked, or deliberately hidden. Once revealed, history cannot be unseen, and, as the saying goes, ‘You can’t unring a bell.’

Take, for example, the Atlanta Race Massacre of 1906.

This violent chapter of Georgia’s history was absent from textbooks for decades, rarely acknowledged, and nearly forgotten. But it happened. From September 22 to 25, 1906, white mobs launched a brutal attack on Black Atlantans—murdering an estimated 25 people (possibly more), destroying Black businesses, and forcing families to flee the city.

What fueled the massacre? A toxic mix of factors:

• Atlanta’s growing Black middle class, which white segregationists saw as a threat.
• A gubernatorial election where both candidates stoked racial fear to gain votes.
• Sensationalized and false newspaper reports falsely accusing Black men of attacking white women.

The consequences were devastating. Black businesses and neighborhoods were decimated, Jim Crow laws tightened, and for generations, the truth was buried.

But not anymore.

Today, Georgia students learn about the massacre in school. At The Center, we highlight this history in our exhibitions and through our Truth + Transformation program, which collaborates with community organizations to ensure continued remembrance, education, and discussion.

Unearthing difficult history isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. Acknowledging the past is the only way to move toward a more just and equitable future. There’s no putting it back once the truth is out—just like those spring-loaded worms from my birthday gift.

Let’s keep opening the lids.”