Memphis, TN, Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Civil Rights Museum Chief Marketing and External Affairs Officer Faith Morris has announced her resignation, effective December 31, 2022. The news comes after nine years of innovative change, broadened engagement, and exponential growth while she led the museum’s marketing, communications, and external relations.
Morris has had a long history with the museum, having served as a consultant and later producer of the organization’s flagship Freedom Award. In her extensive career as an accredited PR professional, strategist, and leader in engagement marketing, she led initiatives as an agency principal before joining the museum in August 2013.
Museum President, Russell T. Wigginton, stated, “Faith Morris has been an invaluable leader for the National Civil Rights Museum for nearly a decade. In serving as the Chief Marketing and External Affairs Officer, she has contributed deeply to the steady rise in our influence and reputation. Faith is perhaps best known for her brilliant vision and leadership for our annual Freedom Award events, which inspire and motivate people to continue the work of justice and equity for all throughout the world.”
Morris has made an indelible mark on the museum’s institutional life. Her accomplishments include:
- planning, production, and promotion of the museum’s Grand Reopening after the $28M renovation in 2014
- eighteen-month leadership of national initiatives for the landmark MLK50 commemoration of Dr. King in 2018
- enhancement of the museum’s communication strategy for international recognition and brand trust
- contributions to the museum’s economic expansion by elevating retail, event rental, and group sales goals
- elevation of the museum’s authority by taking space in national conversations around social justice, diversity, and inclusion
Morris has represented the museum as a spokesperson in media, at conferences, and through corporate partnerships. She serves on advisory boards and boards of directors for culture, arts, tourism, and social justice reform entities, including Vice-Chair for Hattiloo Theatre; member of the board of directors for Memphis Tourism, Smart Meetings Magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board, and the Tennessee Innocence Project; and member of the Tennessee Tourism Committee. She’s served as a sponsor for McKinsey & Company’s Black Executive Leadership Program; a former member of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) Insights Panel, and the Counselor Academy of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
She has received several awards, including the Black Enterprise Top Women Executive in Advertising & Marketing, Hall of Fame and Visionary from Smart Meetings magazine, Women Who Lead from Memphis Business Journal, Nation’s Top Women in PR by PR News, and the Women in NAACP Bridge of Honor Award.
“Personally, Faith has been a key thought partner and resource for me since I became president in August of 2021. I am excited for the next phase of Faith’s journey and grateful that she will continue to work with us on Freedom Award and raising our national and international influence,” Wigginton said.
Morris will continue in a consultant capacity at the museum after she leaves her full-time role. In her absence, Tiffany Legington Graham, who joined the museum in April 2022 as Chief Development Officer, will expand her role to include marketing.
About the National Civil Rights Museum
The NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights. It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change.
A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries. It is a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.
