Hari Jones at Cyclorama lecture

Civil War expert and curator Hari Jones is taking part in a lecture, "From Civil War to Civil Rights," Thursday night (Aug. 18) at the Atlanta Cyclorama and Civil War Museum.

The free program, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., also features Gordon L. Jones, senior military historian and curator at the Atlanta History Center, and Alexis Scott, publisher of the Atlanta Daily World.

Jones is curator of the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, which reopened in a new space last month in Washington, D.C. An exhibit, "The Glorious March to Liberty," spans the Civil War to the civil rights era.

"This story is one of the best-kept secrets in American history," Jones recently told the Washington Examiner. "Well-educated Americans will often find the true story unbelievable. We're taught that African-Americans did little or nothing to free themselves."

Jones' lectures have included U.S. Colored Troops and African-American spies.

Using documents and research, the panelists will discuss how the Civil War helped lay the foundation for the civil rights movement.

The lecture is sponsored by the city's Office of Cultural Affairs. The Cyclorama is at 800 Cherokee Avenue SE.