Eighth graders and chaperones are still “unpacking” emotionally from the civil rights trip to the American south, a time to reflect deeply on our country’s history of racial prejudice and social injustice. Chaperones spent considerable time helping students process their thoughts and reactions, understanding that the personal impact is significant. Here are some featured excerpts and milestones from the trip blog provided by English teacher Jane Maslanka, supplemented by reflective thoughts from our eighth graders.

 

We walked to the quiet sanctuary of Ebenezer Baptist Church’s original site–the place where Dr. King grew up. Listening to a recording of King’s preaching in that historic space, we were struck by how contemporary and relevant much of it seemed. At the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, a stunning museum with some truly powerful exhibits, students were impacted by a lunch counter exhibit that simulates the abuse experienced by the freedom riders.

 

“A great example of someone who took the high road during the civil rights movement was Ruby Bridges. I can’t imagine being a six-year-old child being asked to desegregate an elementary school while adults hurled threats at you. She was extremely strong.” – Grade 8 Student

 

Every year, our students love the Selma, Alabama, visit because of Joanne Bland--a survivor of Bloody Sunday who is passionate about sharing her story with a new generation. Joanne makes events real that, up until Selma, have been theoretical for most of our kids. Together, we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, each lost in thought about its unforgettable role in the movement.

 

“It was interesting to me that as we walked over the bridge, I noticed that everybody was being very quiet. Our teachers didn’t ask us to be quiet, we just were. I think all of us could feel what happened on the bridge and we realized that this point in time was much bigger than us.” – Grade 8 Student

 

We arrived at 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of an infamous bombing that killed four little girls in 1963. A church member spoke to our students about the incident and the history of both the church and the movement. Students stood on the ground where the bomb exploded and viewed a gallery of photos. From there, we crossed to Kelly Ingram Park, a place where the children of Birmingham would gather for protest marches, and where they were beaten, attacked by dogs, and brutalized with water cannons. The park now serves as a memorial to the children involved in the movement and is filled with sculptures that evoke both the terror and courage of those times.

 

“My empathy and ability to stand up to things that are wrong have been strengthened during this trip. Now I have stronger opinions and am not pushed around as easily.” – Grade 8 Student

 

Perhaps the most moving experience of the trip is the National Civil Rights Museum built on the site of Dr. King’s assassination. We studied a harrowing exhibit about the slave trade and saw films and exhibits that took us through the Civil War, Emancipation, Reconstruction, Jim Crow and the civil rights movement.

 

The museum experience culminated in an exhibit that shows Dr. King’s assassination from a more intimate point of view--the preserved hotel rooms where he and his staff were staying at the time of his murder, with views of the balcony from the inside out. Both students and faculty were moved by this deeply personal, and painful, exhibit. We ended the day by finding quiet corners to reflect on all we’ve seen and to journal about how it might have changed us.

 

“We can all make a difference and we all should make a difference. I feel like I can change the world. We are all just ordinary people until we do something extraordinary.” – Grade 8 Student