The National Center for Civil and Human Rights announced a new partnership with Norfolk Southern Corporation, reinforcing a shared commitment to advancing education, human dignity, and civil rights. Norfolk Southern has pledged $500,000 to support the Center’s two-wing expansion, helping to broaden its national impact as a leading cultural institution for civil and human rights education and engagement.

Norfolk Southern’s gift secures naming for the Freedom Room, one of three new classrooms in the Center’s Shirley Clarke Franklin Pavilion, the new wing on the Center’s east side.   

The Center is currently closed for construction as it undergoes its 24,000-square-foot expansion, which includes new galleries, educational spaces, and interactive experiences designed to connect history to the present. This Center is scheduled to reopen this Fall with a celebratory ribbon-cutting event.   

“We were founded to help people understand history’s relevance in our present time, and Norfolk Southern’s commitment allows us to bring that mission to life in meaningful new ways,” said Jill Savitt, CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. “Our partnership with Norfolk Southern ensures that the Center will be an even more powerful space for education, dialogue, and action — one that prepares people to become engaged within their communities.”  

Norfolk Southern has been a longstanding partner of the Center, focused on strategic philanthropy that drives meaningful impact and plays a vital role in expanding the Center’s capacity to educate and inspire action.  

“At Norfolk Southern, we believe in the power of community, education, and advocacy,” said Kristin Wong, Norfolk Southern Community Impact Director. “Our partnership with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights reflects that commitment. We look forward to seeing how these enhanced spaces will inspire visitors and deepen the understanding of civil rights history.” 

Transforming the Future of Human Rights Education  

In addition to three new classrooms, the Center’s expansion fulfills its founders’ original vision of spaces that immerse visitors in civil and human rights history while equipping them to take meaningful action. Other new spaces include:  

• Dynamic classrooms – Three advanced learning spaces, including the Freedom Room. 

• Hands-on experiences – An Activation Lab where visitors create personalized civic engagement plans. 

• Collaborative spaces – 5,000+ square feet for community discussions and training. 

• Immersive exhibits – A Family Gallery to inspire young changemakers, a Reconstruction-era display titled “Broken Promises,” and a Special Exhibitions Gallery for rotating collections. 

The Power of Partnership in Creating Change  

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights exists to inspire the changemaker in each of us. Through partnerships like this, the Center continues to evolve from a beloved Atlanta landmark into a national institution dedicated to education, training, and community engagement.  

“If the arc of the moral universe is going to bend toward justice, we must pull together,” added Savitt. “These partnerships — these commitments — are what drive our mission forward and ensure that the Center remains a powerful force for truth, transformation, and progress.”