50 Years Forward
Contact Us2026 is the Southern Center’s 50th Anniversary. We are celebrating, remembering, and fortifying for the future! Be part of it all by joining us for conversations and events all weekend long!
Our history is our legacy, and it compels us forward. Join us for a reunion of advocates, leaders, and clients who have shaped the fight for human rights in the South.
Together, we will learn about the issues facing our communities and recommit ourselves to the fight for a world free from mass incarceration, the death penalty, the criminalization of poverty, and racial injustice.
Celebrate
From April 30 through May 2, we’ll gather for a full weekend of events:
- Welcome Reception | April 30 | SCHR Office
- An opportunity to visit SCHR’s office for light refreshments and brief remarks about the power of 50 years, including an art display with original pieces by SCHR’s clients.
- Decriminalizing Race and Poverty Symposium | May 1 | GSU College of Law
- Featuring keynote speakers Stephen B. Bright, law professor, celebrated civil rights attorney, former director of SCHR, and co-author of The Fear of Too Much Justice: Race, Poverty, and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts; Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of the critically-acclaimed bestsellers The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste; and SCHR leaders Terrica Ganzy, Atteeyah Hollie, Patrick Mulvaney, and Tiffany Roberts. Topics include challenges to justice and innovative solutions to address the intersection of race and poverty within the criminal legal system.
- Justice Taking Root | May 1 | The Foundry at Puritan Mill
- Justice Taking Root is SCHR’s annual Georgia benefit. Join us for drinks, dinner, a live auction, dancing and entertainment by I LOVE THIS BAND, as we celebrate 50 years of impact and raise much-needed funds to support SCHR’s mission. Individual tickets to Justice Taking Root are $250.00 per person. Sponsorships begin at $1,000 (for 2 tickets).
- Golden Jubilee Festival | May 2 | Magnolia Hall at Piedmont Park
- The weekend will culminate in a joyous reunion full of food, games, and activities at the historic Piedmont Park. Performances include a live set from DJ Wally Sparks, a special “salsa as self-care” experience led by Anana Harris Parris, founder of Self Care Agency, and music by Cubana Song and Music in Common. All are welcome for a day for justice advocates to come together in community, reflect, and build joyful connection. Tickets start at just $25 (free for children).
The 50 Years Forward Gala honors 50 years of service at the Southern Center for Human Rights’s flagship annual event—the Frederick Douglass Awards—in Washington, DC.
Guests can expect legendary stories of freedom and justice — including the premiere of a mini-documentary about our work — dinner, drinks, and spectacular live musical guests SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK® and KIRBY!
Give
Be part of the campaign to fortify SCHR for the future and ensure the next generation of justice warriors are ready to fight.
* Leadership gifts and legacy gifts will be recognized on a 50th anniversary “Wall of Honor” in SCHR’s lobby.
Join new and longtime supporters in making truly transformational gifts.
Help us reach our goal of 200 monthly donors and become a member of our Pillars of Justice Society.
Join our “50 by 50” Legacy Society, and help us secure 50 new planned giving donors by October 22, 2026. Use our dedicated free service, FreeWill.
Remember
Add your story to our history. We invite you to share your memories, victories, and compliments that shaped SCHR’s work over five decades.
Submit your compliments and remembrances to our Memory Cloud.
Don’t miss any 50th Anniversary updates: update your information via our secure donor portal today.
Read our timeline of accomplishments—a journey of fifty years of landmark cases and policy wins.
