Come join the UMD Libraries as it hosts an opening reception to celebrate a new major exhibition titled, Rising Up: 100 Years of Student Activism for Justice and Civil Rights at the University of Maryland. The exhibit will be on display in the lobby of Hornbake Library during the 2023-2024 academic year, and features archival photos, oral histories, multimedia displays, and memorabilia documenting the history of student activism at the University of Maryland. At the reception, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the exhibit’s curators, hear from speakers who will share experiences about their struggle for civil rights and social justice, and participate in guided tours of the exhibit.  

Reception opens at 4:30 pm, with a brief program starting at 5pm. Light refreshments will be served. 

Pre-registration is now closed, but walk-in guests are welcome.

About the Exhibition
Rising Up: 100 Years of Social Justice and Civil Rights Activism at the University of Maryland

In 2020, the world witnessed a trans-continental racial reckoning after the murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbury, and George Floyd. Protests against racial injustice were joined by 15 million to 26 million participants in the United States alone, according to the Harvard Kennedy Carr Center. Students from all over the country, including students from the University of Maryland, were part of the protests and demonstrations that demanded justice and equity within our nation's political, judicial, and academic systems. This major exhibition, produced by the UMD Libraries, is inspired by the uprising in 2020 and explores the long fight for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the University of Maryland, College Park. The display highlights student activism and social movements of historically marginalized communities and their fight for civil rights. Visitors to the exhibit will move through the students’ journeys and the campus’s evolution, decade by decade.

Accessibility 
This event is free and open to the public. UMD Libraries welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you have questions about the access provided, please contact libadmin@umd.edu. If you would like to request specific accommodations, please contact libadmin@umd.edu at least two weeks in advance of your participation.