Monday, June 25, Tuskegee

Tuskegee itself

Liz Bohl:

The city of Tuskegee.  I have never been to the “deep south” and as we were driving around I became very aware of Tuskegee’s “run down” appearance.  There were bars on a lot of windows and doors of homes and businesses, many broken windows in various buildings, as well as many overgrown yards.  Plus once we got into the business areas, there were a lot of empty buildings – even entire strip malls.  I kept wondering why this was?  Is this a common thing in the south?

We had an opportunity to listen to Fred Gray this evening and at the end of his speech he made the point that racism is still a problem that needs to be faced and that economic disparity between blacks and whites is very much still an issue.  Even in class (back in Eau Claire), this was a point that was made numerous times.  We also learned that the population of Tuskegee is about 97% black – is this what Mr. Grey meant?  Our two tour guides from Tuskegee University also mentioned on numerous occasions how the university is working on some economic development projects to help rebuild their city.  The difference between the city and the university is very striking.  The university didn’t seem to quite fit.  I hope that the university can continue doing what it has been doing for the last 100 plus years – improving the lives of the students and citizens of the area.

Mary Devine-Giese:

Tuskegee Institute was beautiful.  There was work being done everywhere; old buildings being refurbished, lawns being immaculately maintained and the flower beds were flawless.  The campus was extensive and the architecture of the buildings was indicative of the constant growth of the institution over the past 120 years.  It was perfection. And then we left the campus.  We were met by abandoned buildings, garbage strewn roads, unkempt homes and very little activity on the streets.

When a chance came available at the airbase, I approached the Tuskegee administrator and spoke with him.  The most telling of his responses came from the question, “What type of relationship does the Institute have with the local community?”  His response was hesitant, “ Well, yea, that is something we need to work on.  It is one of those issues going to be addressed by that new study I told you about.”

Many times during the readings and the study tour references were made to the disconnect between upper/middle class African Americans and those struggling at the bottom of the social hierarchy.  I was shocked  and saddened to witness it. I had been hoping for a different response.

Nathan Jungmeyer:

I was absolutely shocked by the impact that one rather small town can have on African American history and the Civil Rights movement.  I believe that the words of the first black mayor of Tuskegee, Johnny Ford, are absolutely true.  Tuskegee is, without a doubt, "The pride of the swift growing South."

Ruth Lovejoy:

The Tuskegee Institute was a beautiful and unique campus. With humble beginnings concerned with the details of daily life and survival, it managed to develop into a sophisticated university with many special programs. The transition to the town was unexpected. I’ve seen many college towns before and this was not it. Sometimes in life stereotypes appear before you in near perfect form, and our experience with Johnny Ford (running for mayor for the umpteenth time) was one of those times. From the speaker on the campaign truck moving slowly around the square blaring slogans to the glad-handing, fast-talking Mr. Ford, the small town South came alive. Although, if it was in the fifties or sixties you wouldn’t expect the politician to be African-American. Maybe we have made progress; however, looking at the economic conditions, I’m afraid not.

Amy Lund:

Even if you paint them and put decorative pieces in the middle, they're still bars.

Breaking Bread and Building Bridges Dinner

Fred Gray

Jake Boll:

Fred Gray's great respect for Claudette Colvin.  As he was speaking about her I was formulating lesson plans of how I can incorporate her and help motivate my students to make a difference.  The fact that a 15 year old can take such a dangerous and amazing stand against an injustice that would lead to others following in her footsteps speaks volumes and Gray made her story a very strong point in his speech, showing that she was perhaps the most memorable case that he fought for, even more than Rosa Parks.

Julie Mecikalski:

I could not imagine why this prestigious man would want to take the time to come and listen to a bunch of teachers from the north.  I think he summed it up when he said to us to teach our students that we are all people.

Corey Nazer:

I found it most striking when Amy Lund asked what she should take back to her students and to her classroom: Fred Gray's answer was so simple: get to know one another.  In the whole Civil Rights Movement, through all the litigation, after all the significant conversations with iconic figures, the lessons he took from it were so basic -- so elementary.

Tate Haglund-Pagel:

The individual in history.  Seeing Martin Luther King Jr.’s childhood home and even the room he was born in emphasized that even those people who do the greatest things start as children like anyone else.  Fred Gray’s speech reiterated this point.  First he explained that even before Rosa Parks there was a young woman -- Claudette Colvin -- who refused to give up her seat.  Her individual actions were a precursor to the brave decisions of other individuals like Parks, King and Gray that would change the world.

The Piano Player

Margaret Perri:

As we walked in to the Breaking Bread and Building Bridges Dinner with Fred Gray, the piano player was playing some nice music.  It seemed that no one was really taking notice of him.  I grew up playing the piano, taking lessons for many years, and then carrying on that talent because I was taught to take the time and make room in my life to learn and play an instrument.  After dinner, I approached the gentleman and asked him how long he had played.  He told me and then asked if I played, and then even offered to move over so that I could play for him!  I felt honored he’d ask, but obviously turned him down because I knew my “talent” was not near a level of his playing.  He mentioned how the photo placed in front of his keyboard (Mr. Teddy Wilson, a swing jazz pianist) was the first black man to play for jazzman, Benny Goodman.  According to the pianist’s story, he said that people were concerned that because Wilson joined Goodman’s band, it would ultimately tarnish his musical-playing career.  Obviously, it did not.

Monday, June 25, on the road

Erin Lynnes:

Welcome to Alabama.

Monday, June 25, Atlanta

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

The King Center, on the Grounds

Deb Foster:

 
In the rose garden, children’s quotes are placed along the perimeter highlighting their thoughts on MLK and the Civil Rights Movement.  Hania Majah Al Jamal of the Gaza Strip writes about the unity of the human spirit, “Our souls seek peace”.  The desire we each have to live in peace must be valued and honored.  This is the meaning that I have derived out of all the struggles involving human dignity. The fight to expand civil rights is a universal struggle.  But why is this the case? If we valued human dignity the objective could be reached and the dream fulfilled.

Ryan Prod:

The mural showed a pictorial timeline of all the major events.  As I took it all in, I thought about time and energy involved by so many people.  Dr. King was the figurehead of the movement, but many others contributed to the success.  As I turned around to enter the visitor center, I thought about the progress made by the movement.  In the background were the high towers and buildings of downtown Atlanta. Out of a small, black, middle class neighborhood, a boy would grow up to lead and complete a dream begun in 1862 for Civil Rights.

Tamara Schick:

The Kings are buried in a beautiful setting.  After a lifetime of activity and often a target of violence, to now be in that place of peace is very fitting.  I found myself thinking that there was also a purpose in [the design] to discourage people from trying to break into the grave. After all Abraham Lincoln’s grave finally had to be sealed by cement to stop attempted grave robbers. I am glad that they lived and that they now have a quiet rest.

Erika Sween:

MLK’s tomb in the middle of a reflective pool. I guess I had always imagined that he had been buried in a cemetery somewhere. And in the middle of Sween Auburn.

Ann Hewitt:

The eternal flame at the grave of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  One motivation for assassinating someone is to extinguish the work of that person physically by killing them and emotionally by killing the spirit of the survivors.  The beauty of the symbolism of the eternal flame is that although Dr. King’s life was snuffed out in Memphis, his spirit and his work lived on in Atlanta and beyond.  His spirit also survived in the hearts of the many people who were visiting the King Center. The assembly of the young, old, Black, White, Asian, and other races, were a testament to the message of love and acceptance that King taught throughout his brief life.

Frank Juresh:

The marker next to Dr. King's Eternal Flame.  It is at the heart of the MLK Center facing the tombs of Dr. and Mrs. King.  What caught my eye was the phrase "Beloved Community". During the course we studied this ideal that many in the Civil Rights Movement held as an end goal for their efforts and for all of us.  I see this in the context of the Sweet Auburn Historic District where Dr. King Grew up.  At the time of King's childhood this area of Atlanta was a self contained African-American Community.  Rich and poor lived side by side and worked to make this a successful, pleasant community.  I Think that the essence of what this community stood for was what King wanted for all of us.

Robert Piotroswski:

The statue of Kunta Kinte absolutely stunned me. I distinctly remembered watching this series on television in 1977. It made me aware of the struggles this family had, but what I didn't realize what that this was made and then watched by millions less than a decade after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The memories of the Civil Rights Movement would have been so fresh in people's minds and the time period when there was only three major networks also played a major role.

The title of the statue was "Behold," and I did. This moment helped set the stage for the next several days of my journey to learn first hand from many who lived to tell their personal stories about the impact of the Civil Right Movement.

The King Center, in the Museum

The Video

Vince Czahor:

While Fred Grey had to be the most influential participant of the Civil Rights Movement I have ever met, the words of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. were the only things that moved to tears. The introductory video at the visitor center included many speeches from King that I had heard before such as “I have a Dream” and the “Mountain Top” speech, but also those I have never heard. Roughly 50 years after he gave many of those speeches, I was wiping tears away and ready to fight for his cause.

Jay Kluz:

I couldn't help but be struck by what Dr. King said near the end of the video.  He claimed he would have no money to leave behind; no real fame or fortune mattered to him.  All he wanted was to have helped someone--to do his Christian duty.  He said that if he helped any one man, then he made an impact on justice.  Yet here we were idolizing him at the fountain and eternal flame in front of his tomb, marveling at his birth home, taking pictures of the Ebenezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached, and, of all things, buying merchandise at the gift shops.  What would King think of all this?  Obviously most of the leaders of the movement seldom stepped back to think about how historic their actions were or revel in their own fame.  Would they appreciate our response today or be somewhat embarrassed at the pomp and circumstance given to what they thought was simply the right thing to do?  These thoughts gave me pause as to how often the unfolding of history is really a balance of everyday events and everyday actions that become monumental.

Inside the Exhibits

Amy Lund:

We have talked and talked about the Jim Crow laws. I’ve seen hundreds of photos of "white" and "colored" drinking fountains, doorways, and schools. Logically, I knew segregation must have affected every part of people’s lives. But there was a panel in one section of the MLK museum that had examples of the Jim Crow laws throughout the south. The one that stuck out to me was about the circus. The circus!  It was a law from Louisiana that specified that there had to be separate tickets and separate ticket sales and redemption booths.  It was across from a picture at the Memphis zoo that said "No Whites Admitted Today." I had never extrapolated that segregation really went this far.

Sarah Pickering:

At the MLK Memorial and King Center, there was a picture of lynched black man, and standing next to his body was a young, smiling, girl. The amount of hate that people instilled in their children is sickening.

Susan Ruble:

What stopped me in my tracks? Well, it was a quote on the wall in the Memorial Room: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase." This stood out to me as symbolic to his life, that of the Civil Rights movement and also to me personally.  MLK had many times in his life where His Faith in God and His Faith in human nature was challenged, but yet he plowed ahead trusting in himself and his beliefs.  He knew that if he fought the “good fight” and did what he thought was right that no matter the outcome he would be able to “live with himself”. He knew that it would take time and that he had to have faith in the future and in the unknown.

Often, we look at the great men and women of the world and forget that they have the same human qualities that we do.  We read about and saw the kitchen where MLK asked God for help...MLK was doing what we all do when we are challenged, stressed and/or unsure about the future.  Life is one big staircase and pretty much every step of it is unseen.  The responsibility on MLK’s shoulders was tremendous but, he had faith in his religion, in himself and in others.  He stepped onto the staircase not knowing where his foot would land, but he knew that as he took that step he would not be alone, there would be others there with him...little did he know that his steps would change the world.

Cynthia Walrath:

Please Know. . . "They All had Faces!"

At the Wagon

 

Gary Giese:

I came around a corner and here it was, the wagon that carried the casket during the funeral processional of Dr. Martin Luther King on April 9, 1968.  A share cropper’s wagon used as a symbol of the whole Civil Rights movement, It seems fitting Dr. King who represented all African Americans in their search for equality was carried to his final resting place in a wagon. It was a respectful yet humbling gesture.

Jason Pickering:

It was hard to hold back tears looking at the wagon that carried his body.  He knew he was going to die for this cause and he cared more for his people than he did for himself.  He sacrificed a long life that would have had plenty of money.  He sacrificed watching his children grow up.  Those are things that I don’t think I could do.

Cynthia Walrath:

I stood motionless for a moment when I saw the wagon that carried Dr. Martin Luther King’s casket.  I never realized that his casket was carried in an old farm wagon.  Then I noticed a photo of the funeral procession showing the mules, the wagon and the men (dressed in denim) leading the procession.  The quote underneath: "The Poor People’s Campaign."  I thought about the life of the poor people that had struggled to be free, and the man that petitioned for equality.

The King Birth Home

Heidi James:

It felt like history should have happened much longer ago.  But really, it’s still happening, the people are still alive.  It was amazing seeing the room that Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in.  Everything changed in the world is different because of that room.  But, I think it was more than just that room.  It was the whole house.  It felt like a happy, loving home.  I could feel it in every room, especially the dining room and the kitchen.  I could tell that MLK Jr. became the man he was because of the way he was raised and the people who raised him.  The foundation of the content of his character began in that home.

Erin Lynnes:

Martin Luther King was born in the same year as my Grandma Henry.  My Grandma died in 2004, 36 years after King's assassination.  That is my lifetime and then some.  Hearing that birthday -- January 15, 1929 -- while standing outside the bedroom where this prolific figure was born, finally made him real.  As we heard from Fred Gray, "People are just people."  Martin Luther King was just a person, too.

Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church

Tina Krummel:

When I walked into the sanctuary, it wasn’t any bigger than my church at home; the plain wooden pews speak of the people who built and maintained the church. It is an old-fashioned church, small and personal. Just sitting in the church brought a humbling feeling over me. A church is something that is very personal to everyone who experiences religion.

Michael Downie:

Sitting in the pew and listening to the choir sing and the voice of King echo through the hall gave me a feeling of awe mixed with simplicity.  The pulpit held an unassuming quaint feel so close to the congregation.  Our minds create such massive environments for heroes and King is no exception.  Yet, here was a church that was as regular as my own and it served as a launching point for a powerful voice in the Civil Rights movement.  I like that King chose to be a minister and then the movement found him and chose him to be their voice.


Ian Jolley:


Sitting in a middle pew of the Ebenezer Baptist Church.  Taking in the peach/pink colored walls and the stained-glass windows. I could picture MLK up in front, where he was meant to be, and the congregation just rocking. This image is the end result, however, of all of the other places we had seen earlier. The sense of family and the greater community and its importance in his young life was palpable. A house full of people! Relatives yes, but also all array of community members and friends. It would be an ideal that it seems to me King tried to create on a national level.  In many ways his upbringing was perfect….as long didn’t go where he wasn’t allowed and dream of things that boys his color weren’t supposed to dream. Therein lies the rub.

Sunday, June 24, Atlanta

Robert Parker

Chief of Interpretation, Education, and Cultural Resource Management at the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site

 

Cindy Campbell:

Robert Parker reminded our group that the movement was a very spiritual movement that involved the church, with the central theme and focus of the change. He also reminded us that King was Rev. King; that some people want to forget that he was a man of God, a pastor, a preacher, who led the S.C.L.C.; that we should remember that piece of the puzzle.

 

Gregg Jochimsen:

Robert Parker's comments about the people that visit the MLK Park: streakers, strollers, and scholars, which describes how people view the exhibits (real quick, read some items, or read every detail).

 

Ian Jolley:

Robert Parker's pride and excitement that he clearly felt as the caretaker of the MLK Center.  While there is honor in making history, their clearly is honor in protecting it and sharing it.  May we always remember that.  More than anything else said that night, that was the mindset with which I started the journey.