Explore Up from the People: Protest and Change in D.C., the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library’s permanent exhibit. It is located outside The People’s Archive on the Fourth Floor of the MLK Library, and is open during the library’s regular public hours.
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of the DC Public Library Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Read on to learn more and view highlights from Up from the People on Google Arts & Culture.
About the Exhibit:
Up from the People: Protest and Change in D.C. was installed in 2021 as a part of the modernization of the Library, to honor Dr. King's message and his connection to local activism. This permanent exhibit serves as a portal to the Library’s resources, especially The People's Archive, and a laboratory for engagement with Washington, D.C.’s past, present, and future.
The exhibit has two main galleries:
- The West Gallery, A Revolution of Values, addresses Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s message and his connection to the District and local activism.
- The East Gallery, D.C. Represented, covers local politics and history through displays on Mayor Marion Barry, D.C. home rule, and the cultural impact of go-go and punk music.
View Online Exhibits
View highlights from Up from the People on the Library’s Google Arts & Culture site with these online exhibits.
- A Revolution of Values
- A Library Named for Dr. King
- Everybody's Got a Right to Live: The Poor People's Campaign
- D.C. Wins Home Rule
- Marion Barry: Mayor for Life
Credits
Exhibition Design, Fabrication, and Installation by:
DC Public Library Exhibits Team:
Linnea Hegarty, Director of Events, Exhibits & Development; Natalie Campbell, Exhibition Consultant; Cory Bernat, Design and Experience Consultant; Monica Miller, Exhibits Coordinator
DC Public Library Executive Management Team
- Richard Reyes-Gavilan, Executive Director
- Joi Mecks, Chief of Staff
- Barbara Jumper, Chief Business Officer
This exhibition was made possible by the generous support of the DC Public Library Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibit do not represent the views of any funding organizations.
Further Information
Contact MLKexhibits@dc.gov for more information on the exhibit or visit The People's Archive website for further research.
