Hello everyone! Chelsea here to tell you all about Day 2 of the Civil Rights Immersion.
Yesterday started early after a long day of travel. We woke up congregated in the hotel lobby and had what you would call a typical continental breakfast. We planned our exciting and delicious meals for the week, and are super stoked about the aspect of cooking and proving for ourself as we take on the weeks ahead.
Two of our first stops for the day were a quick drive to downtown Birmingham.
Our first stop for the day was the Civil Rights museum, a beautiful museum that truly brought us into the proper mindset for the next few weeks. We started with a short video on the history of slavery, and moved on to the well crafted, articulate, and thought provoking exhibits. We were able to see that stark reality of what segregated classrooms and downtown cafes were like. We encountered an exhibit that was very simple in presentation, but powerful in the words spoken. One that made us all wonder what words we would have whispered behind our closed walls. Numerous exhibits brought us to the reality of the time period, as well as allowed us to fill in gaps that most of us have already encountered during this trip. After going through this institution, we were all in awe of the lack of education our schooling has given us on these topics.
Following the institute, we walked right across the street to the 16th street Baptist Church. For those of you that are unaware of this location and the effects of this location and the Civil Rights Movement, here is a little bit of background. Basically this was the pivotal turning point of the movement, this place turned the movement form a thought process to an action plan. The 16th Street Baptist church was bombed, taking out a large part of the church, and killing 4 young innocent girls. The young girls are often referred to as the Angels of the Cause. Monuments, statues, and entire areas of Birmingham are dedicated to these young girls because of their lasting effect on the Civil Rights movement, causing the climax of the situation and allowing people to finally channel their anger to a progressive and inspiring movement, in memory of those lost including the young girls.
We were about to walk through the Birmingham park just across the street form both of these locations, and view statutes, momorials, and various sculptures that helped depict the movement. We drove past the Birmingham Jail where Martin Luther King was held in solitary confinement.
From Birmingham we took a “short” (short relative to our future drives) 2 hour drive to Montgomery Alabama. We are currently staying at Resurrection Catholic Church where we are spending about a week.
We had what I would call the most amazing and awe inspiring dinner with numerous Civil Rights Activists from the time, many of which were active in the Birmingham Bus Boycott (which they ask us to not call a boycott, but rather a movement). All members of the dinner got up and spoke about their time in the movement, the effects that came about, and the situation of the time.
I was fortunate to sit with Professor Charlie Hardy, a business teacher at Alabama State University. He is truly a man of charisma and wisdom, just as the various other speakers were. We were all able to set as a small group with various speakers, leaders of the movement, and men and women that were there for it all and thrilled to share their individual stories. Its safe to say that we all were more than stoked to have this experience and love where we were at got us in the right mindset not only as individuals, but as a group as well. Memories were made that night that will last a true lifetime. As well as I believe bonds and friendships with these activist that I hope will continue on past this trip.
In the words spoken by our amazing 16th Street tour guide I send with this; “Do not forget, what men do for evil, God does for good.”
And with that I say; Goodbye until tomorrow.