Named after Ralph Mark Gilbert, the museum traces the history of the African American community in the city, from slavery to the present day, with an emphasis on the civil rights movement.

[2] According to Andrew Billingsley, Gilbert is "generally considered the father of the civil rights movement in Savannah.

Gilbert also challenged the white primary system in the state at the time and organized voter registration drives for African Americans in the city.

[1] In 1950, W. W. Law became the president of the Savannah chapter, and it was largely his efforts that led to the creation of the civil rights museum.

[5] Features in the museum include a lunch counter (similar to those in lunch counter protests), photos of African-American businesses in the city, and an exhibit dedicated to Laurel Grove South Cemetery, a historic cemetery for African Americans in the city.