Montgomery, Ala. (WGNO) — An important soldier in the fight for civil rights has been the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Tafeni English Director of the Civil Rights Memorial Center at Southern Poverty Law Center explains, “We are a national civil rights organization. We just celebrated our 50th Anniversary. 50 years, hard to believe, right? And we are still doing the work of combating hate, white supremacist organizations, but we are also dealing with issues such as economic justice, children’s rights, and systemic racism that continues to impact communities of color.”

In tribute to 40 martyrs of the movement the space that is the memorial exists.

According to English, “Had it not been for the individuals out there on the memorial, who were standing up long before there was an SPLC in 1971, there would be no Southern Poverty Law Center.”

The Civil Rights Memorial Center is an interpretive center that shares that history, hoping to also change the conversation about Blacks in America.

“There’s this narrative here that we are an oppressed, southern entity and that Black People don’t possess power, and we know, in fact, that that’s not true,” said English.

A visit to the center’s theater showcases a viewing of the powerful short Apathy is Not an Option and the Memorial center’s exhibits manage to weave in a call to action in the struggle for the rights of all told by the community itself.

“If you don’t tell the story, it gets lost and people will forget. I want people to walk away from here knowing about issues they didn’t know about before. How it’s impacting their communities, and how they can be a voice in their community,” said English.

Click here for info on the Southern Poverty Law Center

Click here for information on the Civil Rights Memorial and Museum