Friday, November 9, 2012
Friday, June 29, Atlanta
The Georgia State Capitol
On the Grounds
Jake Boll:
The statue representing the struggle and oppression of African Americans. It represented blacks going from slave ships at the bottom to emancipation in the middle up to civil rights on the top. The three tiers had figures helping on another up the sculpture to the top where they were holding up a figure of the state of Georgia. Slaves on the bottom were in cramped conditions representing slaves ships, the slaves in the center were performing hard labor and then breaking free, and the blacks on the top were casting ballots in a voting box.
Erica Sween:
I was taken aback by the holes in the back of the man who was trying to vote. Ann Hewitt:
I was not too surprised to see many monuments dedicated to the Confederacy and practically no mention of the role of African-Americans in the history of Alabama while visiting the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. This caused me to expect much of the same for our visit to the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. At first, it seemed as if my low expectations would be met when we first arrived to find a few plaques dedicated to people who had served Georgia during the Civil War as well as some informational plaques that described the Siege of Atlanta, written in an overly extravagant style in 1920. Imagine my surprise to find the beautiful monument dedicated to the African-American contributions to Georgia on the grounds near the Georgia War Memorial, which surprisingly did not include reference to the Civil War. This memorial was further displayed on the inside of the capitol museum, and again, noticeably absent was an extravagant display honoring the Civil War on the inside of the capitol. Georgia is presenting herself to the world as much more tolerant, respectful, and honest about the challenges of the past, which makes going forward significantly easier than Alabama which is still mired in a romanticized past that excludes of a large number of her residents.Liz Bohl:
Heidi James:
I can’t say that I was all that impressed by the capitol and its surroundings. It seems like the South has its blinders on.Deb Foster:
Jeff Woodward:
On the other side of the capital is a huge monument to John B. Gordon one of the most important leaders of the Confederate military during the Civil War. Inside there was a huge picture of Gen. Robert E. Lee the Confederate Commander of the Army of Virginia and the most well known of all the Confederate leaders.
This continued hero worship of these people who worked so hard to maintain the status quo in the south by either continuing slavery or later segregation points to a lack of desire to change by the modern southern leadership and should be decried by all people but especially African Americans.
Gary Giese:
Michael Perri:
The statue honoring Jimmy Carter. My parents used to work with him on the Jimmy carter Work project for Habitat for Humanity. He didn’t just talk the talk….he got right up there and pounded nails with my parents and the rest of them. He once ‘stole’ my dads spackle….he had to approach the Secret service and then “confront” Carter…..”Hey, president Carter….you absconded with my spackle!”
Eric Nelson:
Gregg Jochimsen:
The Georgia State flag. In 1956 the state of Georgia adopted a flag that prominently featured the Confederate emblem. After years of controversy, a new flag was adopted in 2001. On May 8, 2003, Governor Sonny Perdue signed a bill creating a new state flag. It's amazing that the newest flag is actually what the legislators of Georgia call a compromise. The newest flag of Georgia is (believe it or not) based on the first national flag of the Confederacy the "stars and bars". Hard to believe that in 2012 there was an issue over a flag design and that a compromise would involve going back to a design based on a Confederate flag!
The Capitol Building
Michael Downie:
The striking part of touring the capital building was that at one point everything had been burned to the ground by Sherman in the Civil War. There was evidence of a lot of pride in the fallen heroes of Atlanta. Monuments and plaques were filled with accounts of the loss of life and the fight to end of the southern soldiers and generals. From the North we see the war as a fight to keep the Union together and ending slavery, the South sees it as an aggression and violation of states rights. There was even a deep sense of pride in how the capital was rebuilt. There is a sense of nobility or honesty in the telling of how the price was so low and so well budgeted. There was a pride in the budget having no corruption and the capital being built so well for such a low price. One gets the sense that the builders had a mission to show the country they are good people who work for an honest dollar and have no reason to have deserved destruction by an aggressive northern attack. It is a striking reminder that people everywhere are deeply committed to there own dignity.
Wesley Grambo:
It is great to see a capitol building that is also a functioning seat of government, unlike Alabama’s. I was disappointed that the Alabama capitol building is more of a museum. It seemed to be wasteful to have so much unused space. Anyway, to me, a state capitol should be a symbolic and actual seat of power.
Inside the Capitol
Jeffrey Hauser:
I couldn’t help notice the contrast between the Georgia capitol and the Alabama capitol. Maybe because we were on a self-guided tour in Atlanta and the people inside were so friendly and accommodating, things seemed less threatening. A secretary led us right into the governor’s office and gave us a great tour, complete with a story about the championship wrestling belt on display in that office.
Matt Prissel:
Andrea Podpeskar:
Would Governor Walker let a group of teachers in his office?Laura Hartman:
To me, capitals are capitals, no matter what state I am in. The buildings seem to have such a disconnect from the people. They are functioning buildings yet so museum-like at the same time it is often hard for me to see the staff able to understand the people they serve outside the walls.
Cynthia Walrath:
This plaque. I was always told that education was the key to having a successful future! As I read this, I kept thinking about the newly freed slaves and how they must have felt—not being able to read or write and being at the mercy of other people. I also thought about the important role that the churches (and other religious organizations) played in supporting and changing the lives of many people of different races throughout history. Many religious people and members of religious organizations have helped to educate people and help support their causes. The priests and ministers that became involved in the Civil Rights Movement and offered their churches as places to organize and hold meetings came to mind while reading this.Tina Krummel:
A case on the 3rd floor dealt with the voting rights and civil rights issues. This was different than the Alabama capital, which was almost defiant of the face of civil rights.
Ryan Prod:
Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 Dream Speech
Margaret Perri:
I noticed one display in particular that showed a list of people “Who Have Lain in State at the State Capitol”: Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America; former governors, military personnel, Samuel P. Jones, Evangelist; Speaker of the House; House of Representatives; Richard B. Russell Sr., Chief Justice, Supreme Court; senators; but most interestingly to me, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, Civil and Human Rights Activist.
Portraits
Chris Kelly:
I enjoyed the portraits of the Governors and the several portraits/statues of Oglethorpe. I was especially impressed when Dr. Oberly pointed out the painting of Lester Maddox. It is right next to Jimmy Carter’s painting so it is one that I am sure people will see. Dr. Oberly pointed out that on the desk behind Gov. Maddox there is the tail end of a fish jutting out from an edition of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Amy Lund:
On the third floor of the Georgia Capital Building, I found this portrait. It is of Leroy Johnson. I’d never heard of him – but his was the first portrait of an African-American that I’d found. And the plaque under his photo really gave me some food for thought. Johnson was the first African-American elected to the Georgia Senate since Reconstruction. I googled him, and learned that his was the first portrait of an elected black official to hang in the Senate Chamber and also the first living person (other than the governor or lieutenant governor) to have their portrait hung in the capital. Which is cool, but not really my point.
The quote says, “In politics, you get not what you deserve, but what you can negotiate.” Now, this could be a totally innocuous quote about the art of negotiation and Johnson’s skills. But I have to wonder if it doesn’t mean something more.
Ruth Lovejoy:
At the end of my tour of the Georgia Capitol, I saw a poster of a timeline of the Civil Rights Movement. The poster was next to a painting of Martin Luther King. However, with the many paintings of historical figures on the walls, I only saw one other African-American. Better than Alabama, but not good enough.Atlanta Itself
Sarah Pickering:
The demographics of the city can change so quickly. For example, our hotel was located in Underground, a very touristy spot, yet I wouldn’t have gone for a jog the night when we got in, as it was very evident by the security measures, and the fact that some not-so-wholesome activities take place nearby...
Tate Haglund-Pagel:
At the end of our trip I’m struck by what we heard several times and what is obvious on the streets of Atlanta — that oppression today is economic. Racism has been written out of our laws, and targeted bigotry is now punishable under other laws. But several speakers mentioned that the problems of African Americans today are based on the poverty they disproportionally face. The historic reverberations of slavery still impact the descendants of slaves. While the Civil Rights Movement led to many important gains there are problems it did not fix. The relevance of studying the Movement is it gives us ideas and inspiration to fix our current problems. It is also important to recognize the “old” problems are still with us. A group or protestors on the front steps of the Georgia state capital called attention to the fact that their relatives in prison are being brutalized by authorities.
The Varsity
Matt Prissel:
"What’ll ya have….whether you choose a frosted orange, fresh baked pie, or a slaw chili dog, I don’t think you will go wrong."
Michael Perri:
The Varsity: Not sure what the big allure was. (But the food on the trip was great.)Thursday, June 28, Birmingham
A morning walk in the park
Stacy Baynes:
This morning I was feeling rushed and hadn't checked on our agenda for the day. I knew we were going to visit sites in Birmingham and go to their civil rights center, but that was about it. So when the bus stopped, I didn't realize exactly where we were. We were early and could walk through the park a few minutes before gathering in front of the Institute. At that point, I didn't even realize the park was part of our agenda. But always a fan of a walk in the park, I started walking through.I saw a tunnel of sorts off to my left and headed that way. But it seemed the people ahead of me were all taking pictures of the other side, essentially of the people walking through the tunnel, heading away from me. So I stayed in the middle of the park, walking past to see what was on the other side drawing their attention. That is when I saw what it was — statues of large hoses aimed at two children cowering against the wall, and it hit me like a brick wall where we were. I stared at the monument with a sick feeling in my stomach as I replaced the statues with real people in my mind. Then I looked and found the tree damage from the powerful hoses. I was told the building I could see right across the street was where that actually took place. I couldn’t stop looking at it, picturing the hoses blasting the children.
When I was finally able to continue walking I came to another monument, one of large vicious dogs. I again stopped and starred. I took in the peacefulness of the park that day and yet there was a day when it was witness to the brutality of humans using dogs and fire hoses against innocent children. I looked down the street and could "see" a child being rolled down the street by a hose, and others being attacked by dogs. It made me physically ill. How can people be so cruel?
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Jake Boll:
The representation of the cell where MLK Jr. wrote the letter from Birmingham jail. The writing was enlarged on the wall and it was read aloud as I stood there and listened to it. It was very moving and I decided I want to spend significant time studying that primary source in my classroom. The document embraces the troubles that King and African Americans everywhere were experiencing and it truly captures the spirit of the movement. He is in the lowest of lows but looking at the big picture and why it is necessary to fight the good fight. When I grasped the bars and listened to the words of the letter I imagined all of the successes since MLK Jr. yet also many of the short comings of the movement.Vincent Czahor:
In one section of the museum they had the actual jail bars from the Birmingham Jail Dr. Martin Luther King was held. He of course wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail behind those bars and the museum had an excerpt from that which had the audio of King reading. It was quite powerful and great justification for the Civil Rights Movement. The part of the letter describing how he tried to explain to his young daughter that they could not go to Fun Town, an amusement park, because of segregation, really still strikes me.Heidi James:
The side-by-side comparison of the white school room and the colored school room. How could anyone feel good about that? The white school room was spotless with great lighting, clean, new desks, notebooks, and pictures of George Washington and Dwight Eisenhower. On the other hand, the colored school room had old floors, old wooden desks, terrible lighting, few materials, and pictures of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass on the wall. Again, who could feel could by that? Just another way that the white man suppressed the black man. How sad that the very young were targets.Jay Kluz:
The fire-bombed bus of the freedom riders. Even though it was a replica, it felt real. The dark lighting gave the bus a really eerie feeling. Seeing the smashed windows and luggage lying in the doorway really lent a sense of urgency. Its placement around a corner made it somewhat of a surprise--it snuck up on me even though it came after a giant smashed window labeled "freedom riders." The pictures that followed, especially of Jim Zwerg, also gave it a human feel even though there were no figures in or around the abandoned bus. The courage of the riders to see it through to the end knowing the violence they were going to face is amazing to me. I can't imagine the commitment it would take to put yourself through anything like this.Mary Devine-Giese:
Funtown/Carnival. Of all the many, many rights and privileges that were denied African Americans through segregation the denial of entrance to this one type of place left its own deep and everlasting scar.Before even discussing that they had been held at the fairgrounds after their arrests as child marchers, Janice Kelsey and Clifton Casey both brought up the inaccessibility of the fair to African Americans. Janice especially remarked of being able to see and hear the carnival on the other side of the fence and of her desire to attend as a child, but since African Americans were not allowed access to the fairgrounds until after 10:00 on Saturday night, she had never been able to go to one. Janice and Clifton must of have felt this loss greatly to be adults and still feel the pangs of their childhood self’s pain being of being shut out. Also of course, there is the irony of being placed in the very location they were denied access to when space was needed to “pen up” marchers.
Martin Luther King Jr. too felt deeply the pain this denial of admittance meant, not to him necessarily, but as a parent who has to explain to a child who longingly desires the delights and excitement of all a carnival has to offer why she can’t go. The pain he must have suffered in attempting to rationalize an irrational rule knowing how much it would hurt his little girl. MLK Jr. was so scarred by what this denial of access forced him to do that the pain of it came out in his letter from the Birmingham Jail.
…when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six- year-old daughter why she can’t go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her little eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to forming in the little mental sky...
Liz Bohl:
The artifacts were amazing – the tank, KKK robe, Jim Crow era advertisements were just a few of my favorites. They set up their exhibit to take you through Birmingham’s history so the viewer could better grasp how Birmingham became the South’s largest segregated city. Sometimes I think as teachers, and frankly the public in general, never really look at the Civil Rights much before 1963 or after 1968. I liked seeing the before and after movement history – how far we’ve come and how far we have to go.The other thing I was impressed by was the level of viewer interaction in the museum, especially their use of technology. This is a museum that kids would enjoy and I was able to see a student group go through it, it was interesting to watch and listen to their opinions on things. Throughout this trip I feel like this has been a major theme: How do we engage the next generation to learn and understand this history?
Erin Lynnes:
Today we talked to Ahmad Ward at the Civil Rights Institute of Birmingham. He contends that the while bigotry still exists, today discrimination is more socio-economic than race related. I think the two are related. According to Ahmad, Birmingham's Parker High School had its first white graduate just four years ago. Mountain Brook, Alabama, one of the richest cities in the entire United States is 98% white. Tuskegee, Alabama, where poverty is evident, has a population of 9,865. One hundred seventy three of them are white.
White flight has created economically depressed cities that are predominately black leaving their public schools or districts with little money upon which to build good public schools. It's hard to pull yourself out of poverty without a solid education. It will be impossible for the South to continue to heal from its race problems when black children and white children have no chance to interact and get to know each other as people.
It's a vicious cycle, and I have no answers. In the meantime, I hope people like foot soldiers Janice Wesley Kelsey and Cliff Carey continue to share their stories so people are reminded of the dangers of discrimination and inequality.
Foot Soldiers Janice Wesley Kelsey and Cliff Carey
Ryan Prod:
Tina Krummel:
The past is something that we study while others live it. Listening to the two speakers (Janice and Cliff) really put a human perspective on the event. I watched Janice as she remembered her friend that died in the bombing, watching her choke up with emotion some 40 years later showed the pure emotion of the event. That made it personal. History is something that should be personal.Cory Nazer:
Again, the personal experiences of the people who lived the Civil Rights Movement won the day. The “Foot Soldier” panel was by far the most moving portion of the day. What I find most fascinating is not the discussion of the marches themselves, but the personal anecdotes that went along with their descriptions. To hear that girls went to the church meetings to meet boys and that police officers were beating and taunting black children for no apparent reason, once again, made the Movement more real to me. Those stories, along with others, help me understand the Movement more holistically—which no in-class discussion could ever do. Also, our conversation after the presentation (during lunch) about the recent ACA Supreme Court decision, reaffirmed for me that these people are not simple Civil Rights activists, they are truly interested, active citizens. Obvious—I know—but sometimes you need to have that conversation before you realize it to be true.The Footsteps of Children
Michael Downie:
The impact of walking in the footsteps of the children of Birmingham and seeing the fire hoses pointed at them huddled against the wall left a lasting mark on my soul. Seeing 16th Street Baptist church and the four girls that died from the bomb in September of 1963, is an experience everyone should make a part of their life. I plan to bring my own children here one day. I can only hope that they are able to meet some of those living who marched, went to jail and experienced the fear from the police officers that were supposed to protect them. I feel a deep sense to protect the right to vote for the duration of my life after visiting Kelly Ingram Park and the Civil Rights Museum in Birmingham.Andrea Podpeskar:
The day in Birmingham made me think a lot about my students. I wonder who would stand up for a cause and fight like the children of Alabama did. Would my students leave school, defy their parents, all for a cause that wouldn’t benefit them for years? Would they be able to live without their cell phones, Facebook, and families while locked up in an overcrowded cell?How We Choose to Remember, three perspectives
Deb Foster:
As we traveled from place to place in Alabama it became apparent that the Civil Rights Movement is still contested history. From the moment we entered Alabama, we were confronted with the memorial at the Welcome Center reminding us and all who entered that Alabama stands squarely on the side of states’ rights. The state is rich in the history of the Movement, yet it seems that few resources are allocated to the various places.In Selma, the interpretive center was less than five years old. The National Voting Rights Museum and Institute was still being constructed. In Montgomery, the Dexter Avenue Parsonage Museum is a private venture. The Alabama Capitol has multiple examples of honoring the history of white supremacy from the portraits of the Wallaces to the monuments honoring confederate soldiers and law enforcement officers. In Birmingham, city leaders dictated that no negative depictions of law enforcement officers be allowed in the Kelly Ingram Park which is dedicated to telling the story of the Children’s March to desegregate Birmingham. Throughout these cities there were places where multiple historic markers had been erected each telling the story of the Civil Rights Movement through the eyes of the group that had erected the marker.
Alabama seems to be a state that has not come to terms with its history yet. According to many of the speakers we listened to, there are still people within these communities that do not acknowledge one another. While there footage and images clearly show white Alabamians serving as law enforcement officers, few people have been willing to come forward and talk about their involvement in the suppression of these movements for civil rights. There are stark divisions in communities like Selma between the white and black sections of town.
The contested nature of this history and the work that continues to be done was quite evident at the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Birmingham where the sign posted states clearly that “Armed security officers on duty.” The Southern Poverty Law Center continues to fight against hate and bigotry through legal advocacy and education. The SPLC challenges in court laws that clearly target vulnerable groups, and is also a voice for tolerance. The curriculum materials that are created by the SPLC are free to educators and are some of the best materials available to teach about hate and intolerance. The organization attempts to shed light on the dark world of contemporary hate groups by tracking and naming them in the publications they produce. The struggle for civil and human rights is not over.
Tate Pagel-Haglund:
An interesting point was brought up again today that seems germane not only to what we are studying but to the craft of history itself -- what does it take to get history “right”? We once again met some people who were directly involved with the Civil Right Movement. Janice Kelsey and Cliff Casey discussed their perspectives and included the motivations, details and emotions related to the Birmingham children’s movement. They mentioned in passing that the way it’s told isn’t always right. Joanne Bland (who we met two days ago) felt even more strongly that the historical treatment the movement has gotten is not entirely accurate.At the same time there seems to be very little perspective from the other side of the struggle. The sculptures depicting monitor guns do not have sculpted firefighters standing behind them, and few of the police, deputized citizens, or bystanders have their views shared in the “official” story. In American history it is often African Americans’ voices that are left out and Whites in power that have their story told, but this time it is reversed. Perhaps this is because “History is written by the victors.” Most historians are (rightly) working to include more of the African American perspective in American history. The flip side of that coin is to make sure the White perspectives -- which are no doubt diverse -- should still be covered in this particular episode of history. Even if historians as individuals disagree with the messages they will hear, it is important to capture these stories while the people who struggled to restrict rights are still alive.
All of this is a good reminder that even the near history -- which was videotaped, documented, and most importantly that there are still people who can share their stories—is none-the-less a matter of interpretation.
Eric Nelson:
The monuments at Kelly Ingram Park were striking. For one I find it interesting that the statues that depicted the events of the Birmingham riots had no fireman or policeman. As a historian it bothers me when people distort history to make themselves look better. This is not the first time and it certainly will not be the last. Yet, I can understand the current members of the police and fire department not wanting to be connected to the event of the park in Birmingham not so long ago. Most of the people in the departments these days have no connection with the people running it in 1965.Then we come to the statue with the children behind bars. On one side children (who did not look very African American) were depicted standing and the other side had bars with the words “Segregation is a sin” upside down. Our guide said that this was because the artist wanted to convey that segregation is a broken policy. It looked like to me it was put in upside down. Was it an accident? Given what we saw at the Alabama State Capital and some of the other attitudes that we saw in the South I would say “No.”
16th Street Baptist Church
Jay Kluz:
The memorial to the four little girls
Jason Pickering:
Having kids changes everything. What if those were my kids? What if one of them was Dr. King’s kid? Could he have continued nonviolence? Could he have said, “you can bomb our houses, you can bomb our churches, you can kill our little children, but we will never stop loving you.” How can someone believe that? that is why he is so amazing. I cannot wrap my mind around the hate that must be involved to kill kids.
Gary Giese:
To stand on this spot where the bomb blast had taken the lives of those innocent girls. This had to have been a time when the people’s faith was shaken. You could see and hear the emotion in Janice Kelsey’s voice as she talked about that day.Sarah Pickering:
Sometimes people’s hate really confuses me.Robert Piotrowski:
These children had done nothing wrong. These children were preparing to sing praises to their creator.Cynthia Walrath:
Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley didn’t have a clue that their lives would end so abruptly and that they would leave such an impact on so many people. I still cannot imagine how there could be so much hatred for one race that someone could take the lives of such innocent children. We think of a church as a safe haven...Kelly Ingram Park
Margaret Perri:
Walking through Kelly Ingram Park by myself, at one point I heard sirens off in the distance. I couldn’t help but feel like the fire truck that began to emerge into view, was coming for me. The irony here is that it is 50 years later, and the firemen weren’t coming g for me, obviously. But, I could not help but feel the emotional upheaval that once took place during that moment in time, for innocent people begging and struggling for equality in the “Land of the Free.” I sat down upon a concrete bench, and took it all in. A young black girl sat down next to me at one point. We greeted one another, and she began to tell me how she has never seen so many people walk through this park in just one day. I felt honored just being there.
Nathan Jungmeyer:
Coming out of the Baptist church children faced violent crowds, brutal police officers, fire hoses and canons, and dogs. The statues along this paved walk give a tourist a feeling of discomfort that pales in comparison to the real situations. Yet compared to your run-of-the-mill famous-person statue, these pieces of art stir the emotions and help you to experience historical events. In this way, the art in Kelly Ingram Park is better than any 3-D movie Hollywood has to offer.Bill Gill:
The monuments were well done -- though it was unfortunate to hear that the reason they did not put figures behind the water cannons was because of a deal with the city. This systematic cleansing of the history is a concern. I find it absurd when laid against the events that are so prominently discussed elsewhere on the site. Images, however, do play a major role in how one views history. The Dogs monument was perhaps the most startling. It does an excellent job of putting the viewer into the event. One thing that seemed wrong was that the posted rules of the park. The first three rules were specifically aimed at young people. They effectively made the park a no use zone for kids. This seemed ironic for a park dedicated to honoring the acts of young people seeking freedom.Ruth Lovejoy:
As Atticus says in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view — until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
Jeffrey Hauser:
How vicious did it get in Birmingham,snarling dogs at the ready,
attacking those peaceably assembled
in search of equality.
Amy Lund:
The dogs seemed bigger than they would have been in real life. I think this might be artistic in nature – to a child, the dogs were probably huge and this statute helps other people understand the dogs from a child’s point of view.Michael Perri:
The sculpture of the two children huddled against a building attempting to shield themselves from the fire hoses. As represented, these are not hoses but water canon, but with no one at the “trigger.” It seems that a compromise was reached before this sculpture could be erected. Police and fire organizations were against showing their members using such force against innocents. So history is altered out of shame for the facts. At least our guide made a point to shed some light on this fact, but how many walk by this image and are denied the full picture.
Jeff Woodward:
By 1993 when this memorial to those children who had to endure the fire hoses of Bull Connors' firemen was built, one would hope that the white political establishment would be able to own up to the fact that a generation and a half before their predecessors had committed terrible wrongs. It is high time to move past this, admit our own faults and treat all Americans with equality, but when you have to leave the firemen out and mount sculptures of water cannons on tripods without the men who used them in the picture it makes a joke of your supposed attempts at reaching for equality. As an educator it is my job to address these issues and attempt to help my student understand the continued injustice of the acts of leadership in places like Alabama. Equally important though might be to show how some of those same injustices continue in many other forms in many other places including Wisconsin.Ann Hewitt:
Birmingham was a difficult day of travel for me because I have struggled on a very spiritual level with the amount of violence during the Civil Rights Movement, particularly violence towards children. I have attempted within my own life to follow Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. down the path of non-violence, both because I feel that it is the best path for my personal soul, but also with the hope that if enough people were to choose the path of non-violence, the world would become a better place, especially for children. Our current world is still filled with violence upon all sectors of society. I feel that we have improved as culture in that now the violence towards children, no matter the social class, race, or creed is fairly universally seen as wrong. I simply cannot fathom how it could have ever been different.Did the firemen struggle with the order to spray the children? Did any of them refuse to participate by calling in sick, hitting something else, or in some other way? How could a policeman hit and brutalize a child? Did any of these people show regret for their behavior? These are questions that may remain unanswered as many of these people are no longer alive or are unwilling to publicly discuss their roles in such a contentious situation. However, I feel that the lesson of how public safety officials behave is one that needs to be constantly discussed and those who behave poorly need to be held accountable, otherwise more tragic cases of brutality will occur. All children deserve better than what happened in Birmingham.
Frank Juresh:
For many years wrongs were done to African American citizens. I just don't see how the people that were hammered down, nor the people that did the hammering will become whole as a culture until both sides (in any of the 50 states) equally take the ownership of the pain their actions caused.
Aaron Piehl:
If I went to no other place this week than Kelly Ingram Park, I would have learned and felt exactly what the average person should know and understand about the Civil Rights movement.Wednesday, June 27, Montgomery
The Road
Cindy Campbell:
While driving from Montgomery to Selma I kept looking out the bus windows. In Branch’s book he very vividly describes the scenery, with extreme frightful, haunting perfection. The trees, hanging over the long, hot, windy, road — where the unknown could harm you. The trees that could be your shade, your comfort from the heat, your protection from the elements, or in contrast, your lynch mob’s tool, your death, your coffin. I could never have “gotten” this element of the danger with out reading it in Branch and seeing it.This past spring fifteen of us from the Loyal School staff did a walk to raise money. I kept thinking while walking about those people who so were willing to risk their lives just for the chance to cast their votes. I can’t fathom the concept of walking and endangering myself. As we walked several of our students and parents drove by — honking, waving, cheering us on — the pride we felt for our school. Is this how they felt — pride or fear? I wonder, could I ever stand up and knowingly face the police, the angered crowds, they unknown in those trees and walk for change? Could I? Would I?
Montgomery Itself
Liz Bohl:
Gregg Jochimsen:
The confederate monument and confederate flag presentation within the capital. Alabama's old legislative building still sports the flag although they could vote or choose to have it removed. I felt our guide spent a bunch of time justifying why things were still done or displayed a certain way. I was also struck by the prominence of the portrait of George Wallace and his wife Lurlen's portrait and statues. Not sure if our guide from yesterday, Joanne Bland, would spend any time in the capital!
Laura Hartman:
The Parsonage Museum
Jason Pickering:
I stood in that house and my mind ran wild. Everything changes when you have a family and kids of your own. You think about history in a whole new way. What if Coretta or the baby would have been killed? Dr. King questioned himself only four days before the bombing in that very house and God talked to him. It was amazing to stand in the room that Dr. King had that conversation with God. He actually sat in that room and experienced a miracle. If they would have been hurt, could he have continued? Could he have still been nonviolent? He stopped a riot that was about to happen. So many what ifs.
Robert Piotrowski:
Martin Luther King Jr. prayed in this very kitchen to ask for God's help to guide him through challenging times in his future.After receiving another threatening phone call he prayed "Lord, I’m down here trying to do what’s right … But … I must confess … I’m losing my courage.” As Dr. King later stated that “I could hear an inner voice saying to me, ‘Martin Luther, stand up for truth. Stand up for justice. Stand up for righteousness.’” When Mrs. Cherry explained this story and pointed at me and asked me my name - the whole impact of that moment became crystal clear to me. It was hard to believe that a bomb did go off later in the front of the parsonage.
After I left the kitchen, it felt as if I had been on hallowed ground. I did not personally know the King family, but I could relate to his predicament since I am a father of three children and I want to do what is right. I am grateful that Dr. King didn't just have a degree in theology, he believed in what the Bible said, and that gave him the strength he needed to face of such oppression and opposition to his cause.
Tamara Schick:
I could visualize Coretta in the bedroom with the baby and Martin in the kitchen, really questioning whether his was on the right course or not. I believe he really did have a message from God.Michael Downie:
Opening the door that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. opened everyday while he was pastor at Dexter Baptist Church in Montgomery, AL.
Miss Cherry
Liz Bohl:
Miss Cherry (our tour guide) told us her mantra, “I’m no better than anyone, and no one’s any better than I,” she talked about standing up a little taller because of the gains of the movement and Dr. King’s work. And Miss Cherry has had a very full and rich life with the pictures to prove it! This was a lot for me to process and I hope that I can find a way to truly convey the importance of it all. I also appreciated Miss Cherry’s stories about how Dr. King viewed this as a human issue, not necessarily just about race, I think this is an important point to make to help my students relate it to their own lives. Making things relevant to students is so important and often I think perhaps why kids feel as though history isn’t really interesting… It was re-energizing to listen to her discuss her profession. You could hear the enthusiasm and passion she has for teaching, and she obviously is great at is – as I was captivated throughout the tour. With all of the recent happening in Wisconsin education, I’ve felt a bit run-down and frankly overwhelmed. It is good to be reminded of the great aspects of teaching that haven’t changed.Cindy Campbell:
Shirley Cherry dramatically, passionately guided us throughout the home, telling not only the King family’s story, but also her own story. She was spirit filled. All through the tour, she very articulately, passionately explained with very crafted details, the story of God intervening and directing this extraordinary person who was a father, son, husband, teacher, minister, counselor and leader.Jake Boll:
I loved the insight she gave on MLK such as the four characteristics that he looks for in a wife. 1. Character 2. Personality 3. Beauty 4. Intelligence. But that wasn’t the only quote that stuck me. She talked about the feel of the movement and said, “If the spirit is dead than the body is dead just waiting to catch up.” Wow. Every time I heard someone or read something that said the “spirit of the movement” after that I thought about those words. Finally, she had a wonderful life lesson prepared for us when we entered the kitchen at the parsonage. She talked about the night MLK Jr. had his epiphany and truly made it a divine experience. She told his story, as well as her own when she says she believes that, “I ain’t no better than anyone but no one is better than I am.” If everyone believed what she does I truly think that this world would be a better place.Amy Lund:
Sometimes it’s not just what you see that moves you; it’s how it’s shared. Miss Cherry helped me see Dr. King, sitting at his table, trying to decide what the right path was.The King-Johns Garden for Reflection at the Parsonage
Deb Foster:
Laid out in a circle behind the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Parsonage, the King-Johns Garden for Reflection invites visitors in to reflect on the principles of non-violence that fueled the Montgomery Bus Boycott and much of the Civil Rights Movement. Great emphasis has been placed upon the religious foundation upon which the movement was built. As we examine amendments, manifestos, and news reports of state-sponsored criminal actions, it is easy to forget the Beliefs and commitment of those who challenged the power structures that denied rights to African Americans.
The garden provided a quiet place to reflect and spend a moment to remember the people who willingly sacrificed to improve conditions for everyone. Practitioners of non-violence must have an inner-light that moves them to accept violence and degradation not only for themselves, but for those who do not have the inner strength to accept the violence and degradation themselves.
Alabama State Capitol
Eric Nelson:
This was a day of dichotomies. On one hand you had Miss. Cherry, who had so much to say and said it very quickly. She could not hold her truth in, not only about Martin Luther King but about challenges in our own lives. Our struggle to find meaning in our lives or to find faith in something that is greater than ourselves. I regretted that we did not have enough times to spend in that little kitchen. It was a very moving experience.Contrast that with the Alabama State Capital visit. Here is a place that clearly struggles with it demons of the past. Unable to let go of the past “glories” at the expense of other people, yet seemingly embarrassed to admit that they have not quite let go of the past. The result is a capital that functions as a museum, with a monument to a dead idea next to it, and a director left stammering trying to defend decisions that have been made.
Vincent Czahor:
The numbers of monuments at the Capital were disproportionately Confederate monuments or those that did not mention African Americans and all were created in previous eras in time, but it really only gives one history of the state. I think I counted three historical markers related to African Americans out of dozens of monuments, murals, portraits, markers, etc.. Two were on African American politicians during reconstruction and one was on the march from Selma to the Montgomery in 1965. It was shocking to me that they did not even try to be unbiased. While the Confederate Battle flag was not the top of the dome at the capital, it was on the biggest monument I have seen at a capital to date, a monument glorifying Confederate soldiers. I am surprised more people in that state are not upset with the one-sided history at the Alabama state capital.Michael Perri:
I have seen a lot of Capitols in my day, and the rotunda of this one had to rank right up there as one of the ugliest. Interesting how they explain the pictures of two of the Wallaces hanging there. George was the longest running Governor, and the Mrs. was there because she was the first woman. Sure — if you say so!Andrea Podpeskar:
Our guide did a great job at answering questions and explaining the history of the buildings. Her message of how society has changed, yet we can’t forget the past (why some monuments haven’t been changed or have bias) and learn from it.Bill Gill:
The fact that the Civil War monument memorializing the Confederacy was so prominently displayed may be ‘understood’ (strong word but at a loss for another more appropriate) in the light of the State’s history. Making the statement that the flag was now displayed here as part of the specific memorial made some sense (again at a loss for less awkward wording).But then the issues continued to mount. The murals in the dome were nearly all tributes in one way or another to the oppression of persons of color. The gift shop selling hats and t-shirts decorated with confederate battle flag was truly in poor taste. Just because there are fools that feel this is appropriate garb to wear does not mean the State should provide them. Why would they choose to dress and portray the Senate chamber as 1861? To say this is the day they had the most documentation about is a ridiculous reason. To have as many plaques commemorating the succession and confederate flag prominently placed within the law making chambers was highly questionable. All of these were insensitive and could have been handled differently…if your intent was not to have subtle oppression as your message.
The line was finally crossed when in front of the display of State flags so proudly discussed by the tour guide one may discover a statue in tribute to the State Police. In most states this would not be thought of twice. The state law enforcement plays an important role in protecting the community. In Alabama however this could not be seen in the same light. A monument of an unnamed officer holding the riot helmet and displaying the baton so iconic to Bloody Sunday in Selma can not be explained away. This same statue has as its headline motto “Duty Called.” It is difficult to fathom how the State could defend any of these decisions.
Susan Ruble:
Throughout the Alabama State Capitol were these beautiful walls ... they looked like they had been hand carved and painted. Was I in for a shock when the tour guide pointed out that it was just paint! The process, trompe l’oeil means “fool-the-eye” and it did fool my eyes. When I realized what I was seeing it seemed like the walls served as a metaphor for the entire building and the governments view on race and segregation. Throughout our readings, class discussions and our tours it seemed to me that those in charge wanted everyone to see the beauty on the outside and how they were honoring their heritage however, just like they did with the walls, they were covering up their racist and narrow minded views trying to fool the public into thinking that they were doing what was best for their state and its residents. I felt like I was being mocked by the government ... a pretty package on the outside and ugliness on the inside.
Tate Pagel-Haglund:
When do we learn the lessons that lead us to love or hate strangers? When we are children. The Montgomery State capital is a place teachers bring students to teach them about “their past.” But what is it they see there?A monument to the Confederacy built to immortalize that struggle in the time when Jim Crow laws were being passed and the changes of Reconstruction were being destroyed. On the opposing side there is a monument to a police force that was just as crucial in keeping citizens from their rights for decades. A bronze star at the top of the steps marks Jefferson Davis gave his inaugural speech, but no bronze star marks where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his speech just off the State House property. Inside are paintings made in the 1930s which depict the height of slavery as a “Golden age,” label the two pictures involving Native Americans as “hostile” and the lone picture of African Americans, shows them smiling and working as one of the “resources” of the state. The Confederate Flag is not on the roof, but it is still conspicuously displayed elsewhere.
I began my tour of the Alabama State House with an open mind. I wanted to see how close it came to a balanced depiction Alabama’s rich history. I expected to see a celebration of Alabama’s Confederate past alongside the changes of the last hundred years. I was disappointed. When adults are brought on this tour and ask questions the guide explains that these are depictions of how people felt at the different times they were made. They say this is not what the State of Alabama wants to communicate today. But to children on a tour, they do not think about the context of when things were made, they see permanence. They see Confederate soldiers aggrandized near the soldiers in the current wars. They see images that celebrate a wealthy white elite and marginalize all other groups. They see the governor who made his name fighting segregation forever immortalized alongside the most recent state leaders. All State sponsored museums and monuments tell a story. The story told by the Alabama State house to the young people who visit is that this state is — not just has been, is—a place where whites are valued and other groups — especially blacks — don’t matter. If this is the symbolic seat of power in the state, and the story of half the state’s population is not told here, it is not a seat of democracy. It is a temple to oppression.
Gary Giese:
I was on a modern Civil Rights overload and I saw this plaque. It dawned on me that, Wow this is it, this is where it all began, the Civil War. The mechanism of the southern political machine was right here. I had completely forgotten that Montgomery had been the first capital of the Confederate States of America. This started to put things in perspective. I have been to Gettysburg and Vicksburg but I have always viewed those places for the most part through a northern point of view. But here I was on the block were the confederate politicians’ gave the ok to open up on Fort Sumter in April of 1861.
Jeff Hauser:
The knightliest of the knightly race,Who since the days of old,
Have kept the lamp of Chivalry
Alight in hearts of gold.
These words are part of the Confederate monument immediately next to the Alabama state capitol building. To me they serve as a reminder of the old South and the old days of white supremacy. As a further reminder, the Confederate “Stars and Bars” also flies over that monument. So the people of Alabama can truthfully say that the flag of the Confederacy is not displayed atop the capitol.
Matt Prissel:
Clearly the confederacy and Alabama in the era of the Civil War and post Civil War is still important to them. The confederate monument, statue of Jefferson Davis, and the old senate room with the only flag being a confederate one are all examples of this historic connection. These choices are interesting to me since I would bet that not all of their state population embraces these images. Even though I don’t see Alabama seceding any time in the future, they still do hold that time in their history in high regard.Ann Hewitt:
To imply that the time of enslavement and brutality towards the African-Americans was the “Golden Period” of Alabama history shows an incredible lack of sensitivity and respect to all of her citizens, past, present, and future.
Heidi James:
Where is Abraham Lincoln? I walked around the capitol and saw pictures of George, both Washington and Wallace. But saw no picture or mention of the struggles of the past. Maybe I missed a little bit of something. But, I really did not see anything within the capitol that spoke of the struggle. The tour guide spoke of the gradual “transition.” Dr. Oberly made reference to WWII and how most that was “Nazi” was destroyed. There are good parts and bad parts to history and it seems like a slap in the face to those that are still alive. Who cares about the "transition"? It seemed like an excuse for babying old, white men.
Southern Poverty Law Center
Andrea Podpeskar:
Wes Grambo:
At the Civil Rights Memorial Center, I placed my daughter’s name on the Wall of Tolerance. From little on, she has been concerned with justice and next year she will be starting teaching. I know that justice and tolerance will be a major part of her classroom.Erin Lynnes:
1981. In the same year I was born a nineteen-year-old African American man named Michael Donald was kidnapped, beat and hung from a tree by KKK. 1981! I hadn't heard about Donald's murder until I read about it at the Civil Rights Memorial Center today in Montgomery, Alabama. The Southern Poverty Law Center erected "The March Continues" in this museum to memorialize Michael Donald and others like him who have been killed because of their color, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.Southern Poverty Law Center
Ian Jolley:
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