On August 28, 1963 thousands were drawn to the National Mall to be part of what would become a historic event: the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. On a national level, the march spurred the passing of important civil rights legislation. A new exhibit at Special Collections, 50 Years: Civil Rights in Arizona from 1963 to Today, reviews how, 50 years later, the fight for civil rights has impacted local Tucson communities.

A lecture series featuring community leaders, University of Arizona scholars, and local educators will accompany the exhibit. All lectures take place at Special Collections on the University of Arizona main campus and are free and open to the public.

"50 Years: Tucson’s African American Community"
January 15, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
A screening of the documentary film “In Their Own Words: The 1960s civil rights movement in Tucson” & panel discussion with Charles Ford, Ph.D., former Tucson Vice Mayor and retired Tucson Unified School District principal and Cressworth Lander, native Tucsonan and president of the Dunbar Coalition

"50 Years: Tucson’s Native American Community"
February 12, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
A discussion about Indian law cases, Arizona, and the Supreme Court during the Civil Rights Era with Robert A. Williams, Jr., E. Thomas Sullivan Professor of Law and American Indian Studies, UA Rogers College of Law

"50 Years: Tucson’s LGBTQ Community"
March 7, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
A discussion with Adela Licona, Associate Professor, UA Department of English; Stephen Russell, Director, Frances McClelland Institute, UA Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences; and Jamie Lee, Doctoral Student, UA School of Information Resources and Library Science

"50 Years: Tucson’s Mexican American Community"
April 29, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
A discussion with Lupe Castillo, Professor, Pima Community College and Margo Cowan, Public Defender, Pima County