QEP First Year Experience 2021

Summary

The Levi Watkins Learning Center (LWLC) at Alabama State University (ASU) serves as a cultural and educational hub, blending library, archive, and museum spaces to honor the university’s rich history. Transformed in 2011, the LWLC features exhibits that explore ASU’s 150-year legacy, its role in the Civil Rights Movement, and influential figures like Levi Watkins and Edgar Daniel Nixon. With interactive displays, a special collections department, and multimedia exhibits, the center provides an immersive experience for students and visitors, offering a unique blend of cultural preservation, education, and engagement.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Levi Watkins Learning Center (LWLC) at Alabama State University was transformed into a cultural learning space in 2011, incorporating libraries, archives, and museum areas.
• 😀 The LWLC aims to serve as a cultural hub, blending traditional learning spaces with exhibits that reflect ASU's cultural legacy and institutional history.
• 😀 The innovative design of the LWLC provides an engaging user experience with exhibits, displays, and interactive spaces that connect the university's past with the future.
• 😀 Dr. Janice Franklin, Dean of the LWLC, highlights its mission to provide learning resources and services to support both local and global communities.
• 😀 Dr. Howard Robinson, University Archivist, offers a tour of the exhibits, which cover ASU’s 150-year history, civil rights contributions, and key figures like Levi Watkins and Edgar Daniel Nixon.
• 😀 The exhibits feature ASU’s critical role in the civil rights movement, including key events such as the Knight v. Alabama case and the leadership of Levi Watkins during the 1960s and 1970s.
• 😀 The timeline exhibit traces the origins of ASU, including its move to Montgomery, struggles with underfunding, and landmark achievements like the integration of the library in the 1970s.
• 😀 The civil rights interactive space at the LWLC focuses on ASU's involvement in desegregation and voting rights, featuring photographs, videos, and artifacts from the movement.
• 😀 The Edgar Daniel Nixon exhibit showcases Nixon's significant role in the civil rights movement, including his leadership in the Montgomery Improvement Association and the bus boycott.
• 😀 The LWLC also includes special collections that house materials related to Black life and history, offering resources like newspapers, academic journals, and theses from ASU's community.

Q & A

What is the concept of the Levi Watkins Learning Center (LWLC)?

The Levi Watkins Learning Center (LWLC) was transformed in 2011 into a cultural learning place, designed to integrate the library, archives, and museum spaces to reflect the university's cultural legacy and institutional memory. It aims to expand the traditional library concept into a center of culture that fosters discovery and engagement for students.

Who is Dr. Janice Franklin and what role does she play at ASU?

Dr. Janice Franklin is the Dean of the Levi Watkins Learning Center and the project director for the National Center for the Study of Civil Rights and African American Culture at Alabama State University. She emphasizes the center's mission to provide resources and services to assist students' academic and cultural needs.

What historical themes do the exhibits at the Levi Watkins Learning Center focus on?

The exhibits at the Levi Watkins Learning Center highlight key events and individuals in the 150-year history of Alabama State University, focusing on topics like the civil rights movement, the history of the university, and the legacy of prominent figures like Levi Watkins, E.D. Nixon, and the Knight v. Alabama desegregation case.

How does the 'Knight v. Alabama' exhibit contribute to the understanding of ASU's history?

The 'Knight v. Alabama' exhibit educates visitors about the higher education desegregation case that challenged racial discrimination and underfunding of historically Black universities. It showcases the pivotal role of ASU in fighting for equitable education in Alabama.

What is the significance of the ASU timeline exhibit in the Levi Watkins Learning Center?

The 30-foot ASU timeline in the Levi Watkins Learning Center traces the pivotal individuals, milestones, and challenges in the university's 150-year history. It covers events such as the school's relocation to Montgomery, key legal battles, and ASU’s role in the civil rights movement.

How does the special collections department contribute to the cultural learning space?

The Special Collections department at the Levi Watkins Learning Center houses valuable materials on Black history, including books, periodicals, theses, and yearbooks. It offers exhibits and hosts events such as book talks to engage the community and provide resources for those interested in history.

What was the role of ASU in the modern civil rights movement?

ASU played a key role in the modern civil rights movement, with students, faculty, and alumni actively participating in protests, sit-ins, and legal challenges. Notable events include the Montgomery Bus Boycott, sit-ins at local libraries, and involvement in the landmark New York Times v. Sullivan case.

What was the impact of Levi Watkins' presidency on ASU?

Levi Watkins, the sixth president of ASU from 1962 to 1981, oversaw significant developments at the university. His leadership helped fend off attempts to merge ASU with other institutions, led to the establishment of an independent board of trustees, and improved the university’s academic and athletic programs.

What is the E.D. Nixon exhibit, and why is it important?

The E.D. Nixon exhibit in the Special Collections department honors the life and contributions of E.D. Nixon, a key figure in the civil rights movement. The exhibit highlights his work as a union organizer, political activist, and treasurer of the Montgomery Improvement Association during the bus boycott.

How does the Levi Watkins Learning Center support the community beyond ASU students?

The Levi Watkins Learning Center serves both local and global communities by providing access to learning resources, hosting cultural exhibits, and offering educational services that promote engagement with the university’s cultural heritage and the history of the civil rights movement.