“A legacy of leadership,” an exhibit of photographs and belongings of late Savannah civil rights icon W.W. Law, is now on display at Savannah State University.
The gallery, located on the first floor of the Social Science Building on Tompkins Road, is free and open to the public through March 1.
“I think that (Law) was a great community leader during the time when the community needed a leader during the civil rights movement,” said Felicia Bell, an assistant professor of history who helped organize the event. “... I think today’s young people can learn something from his devotion — his dedication to the civil rights movement and its causes.”
Law, who died in 2002, was an alumnus of what is now Savannah State University. The gallery includes dozens of photographs from Law’s personal collection, as well as letters, press clippings and even some of his clothing. A short video featuring excerpts from interviews with and about Law is also part of the exhibit.
“We tried to personalize it as much as we could so people could see he was a simple man helping his community, and hopefully that will come across,” Bell said. “Maybe it will inspire visitors to say, ‘I’m just a person and I can make a difference in my community.’”
— Dash Coleman