I thought I knew what to expect on this trip. I had read through the itinerary, researched the Civil Rights movement, and whittled down my outfits and other items to the bare necessities (yes a flat-iron is a necessity). I was ready, I was set, and before I knew it, I was on my way to what would be one of the most interesting, exciting, fun, moving, and above all, inspiring experiences of my life.
On this trip I learned how people of different ages and background came together to change the course of history. These people faced incredible dangers, yet they stood fast to what they believed. Sometimes they marched, sometimes they sat, sometimes they spoke, sometimes they sang, and sometimes they didn’t say anything at all. Everything they did, they did it with the hope that one day change would come. They did it so they could sit where they wanted to sit, shop where they wanted to shop, eat where they wanted to eat and enjoy every right and privilege a white man enjoyed.
To hear the stories, some first-hand accounts, was incredible. It made me realize that no matter how old a person is or where he or she comes from, if he or she believes in something enough, it could become a reality. It also gave me a far greater appreciation for the preservation of historical sites. It is so, so important that we never, ever forget what happened and what those brave men and women fought for. I feel a responsibility to share with others, to encourage them to research and discover how African Americans finally got their rights.
So, as it turns out, I was wrong. Our little spring break trip wasn’t anything I had expected… it was far, far more!
