Highlander Research and Education Center

Highlander Research and Education Center is a social justice organization that has been a catalyst for civil rights and social change in the United States since its founding in 1932 by Myles Horton, Don West, and James Dombrowski. The center has a long history of working with prominent figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Stokely Carmichael to promote racial equality and economic justice. Located in New Market, Tennessee, the center has been a hub for community organizing and social activism, inspiring movements such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The center's work has also been influenced by the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and the Selma to Montgomery marches.

● History

The Highlander Research and Education Center was founded in 1932 as the Highlander Folk School with the goal of promoting labor rights and adult education in the Appalachian region. The center's early work focused on organizing labor unions and providing vocational training to coal miners and textile workers. During the Great Depression, the center worked closely with organizations such as the Congress of Industrial Organizations and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to provide relief to unemployed workers and low-income families. The center's history is also closely tied to the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Works Progress Administration, which provided funding and support for the center's programs. Notable figures such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Langston Hughes have visited the center, and its work has been influenced by the Harlem Renaissance and the American folk music revival.

● Mission and Objectives

The mission of the Highlander Research and Education Center is to promote social justice and human rights through community-based research and popular education. The center's objectives include supporting grassroots movements and community organizing efforts, providing training and technical assistance to community leaders and activists, and promoting policy change and advocacy on issues such as racial justice, economic justice, and environmental justice. The center's work is guided by the principles of participatory democracy and empowerment, and it has worked with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Organization for Women, and the Sierra Club to advance these goals. The center has also been influenced by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labor Organization.

● Programs and Activities

The Highlander Research and Education Center offers a range of programs and activities, including leadership development training, community-based research projects, and policy advocacy initiatives. The center's programs focus on issues such as immigrant rights, labor rights, and environmental justice, and it has worked with organizations such as the AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union, and the Natural Resources Defense Council to advance these issues. The center also hosts conferences and workshops on topics such as social movement theory and community organizing, and it has been influenced by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and the World Social Forum. Notable speakers such as Angela Davis, Cornel West, and Naomi Klein have participated in the center's programs, and its work has been recognized by awards such as the National Medal of Arts and the MacArthur Fellowship.

● Notable Achievements and Impact

The Highlander Research and Education Center has a long history of notable achievements and impact, including its role in supporting the civil rights movement and the labor movement. The center's work has been recognized by organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Human Rights Campaign, and it has been awarded numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Peace Prize. The center's programs and activities have also been influenced by the Women's Suffrage Movement, the American Indian Movement, and the Disability Rights Movement. Notable alumni of the center's programs include Septima Clark, Esau Jenkins, and Bernice Johnson Reagon, who have gone on to become leaders in the civil rights movement and other social justice movements.

● Facilities and Location

The Highlander Research and Education Center is located in New Market, Tennessee, on a 340-acre campus that includes dormitories, classrooms, and meeting spaces. The center's facilities are designed to support community-based research and popular education, and they include a library and archive of social movement history and community organizing resources. The center is situated near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Tennessee Valley Authority, and its location has been influenced by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Tennessee State Government. The center's facilities have also hosted events such as the Appalachian Studies Conference and the Southern Grassroots Economic Development Conference, and its work has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the American Institute of Architects.