Day 2 of the tour

June 10th, 2014
The kindness of the staff at the Drury Inn & Suites was with southern style. Smiles and polite service was rendered genuinely. We boarded the bus as the rain lightly sprinkled the bus. The smiles of  29 other people greeted me as I walked to my seat in the back of the bus. Here there was no colored or white section dividing the bus. In the back of the bus. On this bus I sit across from a white gentlemen and a white woman in front of him. Before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat this trip would not be possible. The Civil Rights movement began with her act of dignity on a bus in 1955.
Later came the freedom riders of college students who desired to change the systems of injustice together. The mixed group of races on the bus with me made me reflect this morning on the way they rode together to the states we travel through on this trip. Yet, today I ride with no thought of being, bombed, beaten or criticized for my reason for getting on this bus. Though my journey is different for me I desire to impart the same truths to the world that equality is still important and change is still needed in our world and social structures.
Today since we would not be in a church listening to a sermon or fellowship ing with our brethren we listened to one of Dr. Martin Luther King’s sermons. Then we arrived a at a place that seemed familiar to me. It was the Martin Luther King Visitor Center which I visited as a high school student around the age of 17 while attending a family reunion in Atlanta, Georgia. Back then my eyes were not as open and aware of the injustices in our country and all that had gone on in the south. This time my eyes, heart and mind was more aware of the significance of what I was viewing and why it is such a significant place. In my mind the fact that it is and was a free tour amazed me but it fit with the reality of Kings dream of access to equality. This allows anyone who desires to educate their child or themselves about the issues that faced our community and world could see how a peaceful movement about change. How a man who had a dream pursed it and others who desired the same reality joined in the fight against injustice.
We heard a historian speak to us about the movement in Albany and Burmingham.
We also had one of the great women of the movement speak to us Mrs. Juanita Abernathy the wife of Mr. Ralph Abernathy. Her feet pounded the pavement for our rights. Her voice spoke the truths of our history. Things that are not currently recorded in our text books. Her rich heritage and ability to tell a story was evident with every word. She is not a very tall woman in stature but in heart, mind and soul she is very dynamic and bold. She had a way of letting you know she is somebody and instill in you the reality that you are too. Her life is an example that behind every strong man is an even stronger woman.
We do not need to wait for a leader we each need to pursue change in our sphere of influence. In life will you be an influencer or just allow life to chart it’s course? Each day we have choices, decisions and thoughts that have the ability to shape a new day. Will we pursue those changes? Will we dialogue and challenge the state of our present situation or sit back as if we have arrived at the promise land? If you think this is the promise land then it is my hope that your eyes will be open to our present days injustices?

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