Civil Rights Pilgrimage
I spent my winter break of my sophomore year on a Civil Rights Pilgrimage. We traveled to many places in the South that had significance. We started off in Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta we were able to meet Charles Person, who was the youngest person on the Freedom Rides in 1961.
It was amazing to hear his story and he told us that now it's our turn to continue the work. He said that he started in high school and that many people in the Civil Rights Movement were even younger so we should never believe we can't make a difference or have an impact.
The next morning we went to check out different MLK historic sites.
The next morning we went to check out different MLK historic sites.
After that, we went to a service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. It was amazing to attend a Southern church service. After, we loaded the buses and headed to Birmingham. In Birmingham we stopped at the Civil Rights Institute and Kelly Ingram Park.
Next we headed to Tuscaloosa. In Tuscaloosa, we went to the First African Baptist Church. After that, we were finally able to finish for the night.
In the morning, we had a tour of Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama. We learned about the history that the University of Alabama had with slavery and Eugenics research. Also, the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, stood at the door of the Foster Auditorium in an attempt to block two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, from enrolling.
Next we were onto Montgomery for the Rosa Parks Museum and Library!
In the morning, we had a tour of Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama. We learned about the history that the University of Alabama had with slavery and Eugenics research. Also, the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, stood at the door of the Foster Auditorium in an attempt to block two black students, Vivian Malone and James Hood, from enrolling.
Next we were onto Montgomery for the Rosa Parks Museum and Library!
Then we went to the Civil Rights Memorial Center. This was pretty amazing. The museum features a memorial to 41 people who died fighting for equal rights for all during the Civil Rights Movement. It features water because of the healing and soothing power it is believed to have. Also because of the quote from Martin Luther King Jr. "we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."
That night we had a meal at Dreamland BBQ! It was pretty good and it was nice to catch up with some people on the trip and talk about their experiences over a sit down meal. Good thing I wasn't a vegetarian yet. Come to think of it, I wonder what the vegetarians did on our trip, or if we had any.
In the morning we went to Selma, Alabama. Our time in Selma was powerful. Selma is a struggling place. We met an amazing woman, Joanne Bland, who was our tour guide for Selma. She showed us many things and pointed out many perspectives I wouldn't have thought of.
For example, Ms. Bland pointed out that this statue says I HAD A DREAM rather than I HAVE A DREAM this is an important distinction not only because it's wrong but because it makes black and brown children feel that they are not important. That the dream is died. She also pointed out that a flaw in the statue, which you can see in the picture was fixed by covering it up with a plague that is not even vague the same as the original. This also goes to show how unimportant the statue is. Ms. Bland said that would never happen with a President or a statue of some figure like that. But of course it happens to MLK JR and in Selma. It's also important to note that this statue stands outside of one of the poorest areas in Selma, across the street from apartment complexes, where students pick up the buses everyday. They see this everyday. **This statue has since been changed to I HAVE A DREAM. This church is also the beginning of the route the marchers took to Montgomery!
Next we participated in a Slavery Reenactment. I'm still not sure how I exactly feel about this situation. I feel like you can't reenact a terrible and traumatic thing. And maybe it's something that makes white people feel like they can understand better but they really never can. I'm still trying to understand why we did it. I just, think it's not something that needs to be "reenacted". I think no matter what we can learn about it and that's all that needs to happen. But maybe I'm wrong, I'd love to have a dialogue about it.
After that we broke up into smaller groups to do service work in Selma. I was apart of a group that cleaned a church.
Then we had speakers from the Freedom Foundation. These speakers were marchers in the Bloody Sunday march.
The next day we had a travel day. We broke up the day by stopping at the ocean. This is where we took the first picture at the top of this page. We were headed for New Orleans. When we got to New Orleans, some of the group was headed to Preservation Hall. I was feeling overloaded with the whole trip so I took the night to myself and practiced self care.
In the morning, we had a 9th ward/Civil Rights tour. We learned about the injustice that happened after the hurricane hit New Orleans and how clean up happened in the more affluent areas and the other struggling areas were left to continue to struggle. The rest of the day in New Orleans was left for free time.
In the morning, we departed for Little Rock where we visited Little Rock Central High School. It was cool because I had just finished listening to an audiobook about the Little Rock Nine. We visited a Memorial Statue of the Little Rock Nine.
The next day we went to Heifer International and had a tour of the facilities. Then we also went to William J. Clinton Presidential Library. I had never been to a Presidential Library before. It was neat to see. We then loaded the bus for Memphis, Tennessee. We had fun on Beale Street, which is pretty famous for it's blues scene.
The next day we went to the National Civil Right's Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr, was assassinated. It was powerful to see where it happened.
Next we participated in a Slavery Reenactment. I'm still not sure how I exactly feel about this situation. I feel like you can't reenact a terrible and traumatic thing. And maybe it's something that makes white people feel like they can understand better but they really never can. I'm still trying to understand why we did it. I just, think it's not something that needs to be "reenacted". I think no matter what we can learn about it and that's all that needs to happen. But maybe I'm wrong, I'd love to have a dialogue about it.
After that we broke up into smaller groups to do service work in Selma. I was apart of a group that cleaned a church.
Then we had speakers from the Freedom Foundation. These speakers were marchers in the Bloody Sunday march.
The next day we had a travel day. We broke up the day by stopping at the ocean. This is where we took the first picture at the top of this page. We were headed for New Orleans. When we got to New Orleans, some of the group was headed to Preservation Hall. I was feeling overloaded with the whole trip so I took the night to myself and practiced self care.
In the morning, we had a 9th ward/Civil Rights tour. We learned about the injustice that happened after the hurricane hit New Orleans and how clean up happened in the more affluent areas and the other struggling areas were left to continue to struggle. The rest of the day in New Orleans was left for free time.
In the morning, we departed for Little Rock where we visited Little Rock Central High School. It was cool because I had just finished listening to an audiobook about the Little Rock Nine. We visited a Memorial Statue of the Little Rock Nine.
The next day we went to Heifer International and had a tour of the facilities. Then we also went to William J. Clinton Presidential Library. I had never been to a Presidential Library before. It was neat to see. We then loaded the bus for Memphis, Tennessee. We had fun on Beale Street, which is pretty famous for it's blues scene.
The next day we went to the National Civil Right's Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr, was assassinated. It was powerful to see where it happened.
This was the end of our trip. It was an amazing experience. I learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement. I learned that it wasn't just one man and his movement. But that it was so many men, women, and children who wanted a change. We must remember them all, we can't forget names like Ella Baker, who once said, "strong people don't need strong leaders."
And with that, we were back home.
And with that, we were back home.