It was so hard to summarize such a life changing trip. There is information that I already knew about the time line from the kidnapping of Africans to the present day. During this trip, gaps in my understanding (some I never knew I had) were filled. The biggest issue I would have is what to do with all of this passion and content. In a weeks time, I have been on a roller coaster of emotions. I enjoyed conversing with teachers and students. We would laugh about our favorite shows or things that we had seen on social media. We would then get off of the bus and go to a museum, such as Legacy, and weep together. We would later go to dinner and have a serious conversation about the day which would roll into a funny story that is not at all connected. This was a safe group with which to experience the horrors of our nation’s history. This trip meant more to me than new information for my classroom. When I was young, my mother always talked about the importance of voting. When I turned 18, we went together to vote. So when I walked across the bridge in Selma, I did a video call with my mom so that she could walk with me across the bridge. The trip added to my family story.
The last day of the trip was the visit to the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. The museum was a reminder that Freedom is fragile and that we must continue to be vigilant in the protection of it. I was walking through the museum pondering how I would communicate facts so that they would be retained and acted upon to continually protect our freedoms. I would recommend that teachers and students take this trip. I’m excited about how I can help them to build a timeline of American history to include African Americans. I’ll include some of the music during those periods that were a thread of joy, peace, and hope. I hope to paint such a detailed picture of the past that it causes them to think about their future.