Exploring and Preserving African American History in the Louisiana Florida Parishes: Julian Bond

Showing posts with label Julian Bond. Show all posts

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Chase visited the National Civil Rights Museum with his grandmother Dr. Antoinette Harrell

National Civil Rights Museum
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

"A visit to the National Civil Rights Museum was the perfect way for my grandson Chase's homeschool history class to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. As part of his studies, he was studying Plessy v. Ferguson. A mixed-race man named Homer Plessy purposefully boarded a whites-only train car in New Orleans. A citation was issued for violating Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1980, which requires railroad accommodations to be equal by separate."

Several discussions about Jim Crow laws were sparked by this. He learned a lot about that period from reading and viewing short films about the movement. On board the bus that reenacted Rosa Park, he was told to move to the rear of the bus. He was captivated by this history field trip. As he read the historic signs in front of the Lorraine Hotel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, I watched him. He stood watching and reading instantly. He stood watching and reading intensely. His intense focus indicated a deep engagement and concentration. It was as though Chase desired to fully immerse himself in the experience. Whatever the reason, his desire to fully immerse himself in the experience revealed a hunger for connection and understanding of a difficult time in our history. While driving home, he expressed some of his thoughts and asked questions. As he pondered these questions, he couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility to learn from the past. He also wanted to contribute to a better future because of all the sacrifices others made for him. Not to mention those who gave their lives so he could live a better life.

Chase at the National Civil Rights Museum
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

During our visit to the Freedom Rider Bus, he learned how the bus was targeted by a mob targeted against
civil rights activists protesting against racial segregation. This history field trip helped him learn many history lessons that he was not taught in class.

The history field trip to the National Civil Rights Museum had a profound impact on Chase's understanding of the Civil Rights Movement. Through immersive experiences, such as reenactments and exploring historic sites, he gained a deeper appreciation for the struggles and sacrifices made by activists during that time. This hands-on learning experience brought the history lessons to life and left a lasting impression on Chase's education.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Tangipahoa Parish Youth Civil Rights Tours to Memphis, TN and Washington, D.C.

Amite Summer Camper in Mark, Mississippi, The Home of
Wagon Mule Train
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

Amite,LA--This pass summer the Tangipahoa Youth Ambassadors and the Amite Summer Campers had an opportunity to learn more about the civil rights struggles by touring some of the civil rights historical landmarks from Mark, Mississippi the birth place of the Wagon Mule Train to Memphis, Tennessee, were Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on April 4, 1968. When Dr. King announced the Poor People's Campaign, to address poverty in America. He envisioned caravans of poor people of color from all over the United States gathering on the mall in Washington, D.C., with hopes to eradicate poverty. The wagon Mules Train would be comprised of mule-drawn wagons rather than buses, vans and cars. The Mule Train set off from Marks, Mississippi on May 13, 1968 and headed east across northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. On June 13 after several delays and mishaps along the way the Mule Train arrived in Atlanta. From Alexandria VA, crossing the Potomac River and on in to Washington, D.C.

Sponsored by Nurturing Our Roots Fine Arts Gallery and TCOJC Apostolic Ministries with Pastor Junious Buchanan, the youth took to the road to learn about their history. It was the first visit to National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee for some of the campers. They actually stood on the balcony were Dr. King was murdered. Once inside the museum they learned about civil rights activists like Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and other women pioneers who changed the course of history for African Americans.

Summer Campers on the Civil Rights Tour
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

While riding on the bus to tour the historical places the youth campers and Tangipahoa Youth Ambassadors, listened to Dr. King speeches. They was taught by tour guide Antoinette Harrell the importance of their civil rights. They learned the difference between civil rights and human rights. They also read and discussed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The campers watched the movie "Roots" on the tour. They saw the cotton gins, and shanties in the Mississippi Delta.

They experience holding up signs to protest for justice. They held up signs seeking justice of Trayvon Martin, the young man who was murdered by George Zimmerman in Florida. On the bus you see their little minds working and thinking about this entire experience. Some of them asked questions.

Several of the Tangipahoa Youth Ambassadors went on to Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 50th Anniversary March on Washington, D.C., While traveling on bus for more than eighteen hours they read books and took notes about the civil rights movement. Discussing what they thought it was like to have too ride on the back of the bus and being discriminated against because of the color of their skin. They learned about peonage and sharecropping and what these two words meant and how it affect the lives of many poor people both black and white throughout the deep south.

Katelyn Jones standing up for her voting rights
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

They had the opportunity to meet civil rights activist Julian Bond. Bond later served as the head of he Southern Poverty Law Center and of the NAACP. The youth ambassadors also met Marc Morial, an American political and civic leader and current president of the National Urban League. To their surprise they met Roland Martin an American journalist and syndicated columnist with Creator Syndicate and author. He was the commentator for TV One and the host of News One Now. He was also a CNN contributor and later he joined the Tom Joyner Morning Show as senior analyst. The ambassadors got an interview with BET News to talk about the project that they are work on in Webb, Mississippi.

A very special thanks to Glyniss Vernon Gordon, Pastor and Mrs. Chante Buchanan, Bobby J. Ginn, Antwan Blossom and all the other volunteers, a very warmhearted thank you House on Rock Church in Amite, La., for donating the bus.