Day 2: Walk the Talk

Day 2: Walk the Talk

Watching a documentary on MLK on the bus, I learned new details of his life and how he not only inspired others by his preaching and non-violent protests, but he lived out what he preached in so many different ways.  He moved into an apartment without heat in Chicago to live among those he wanted to help with housing.  When people in the neighborhood realized it was really Dr. Martin Luther King living among them, he won them over with his actions and life.  And he chose not to see others as enemies – he responded to one woman who was hateful toward him with “You’re too beautiful to be so mean” and she later came back and apologized.  His love had the power to defuse hatred and bestow dignity.

Another highlight was meeting Charles Person, who was a Freedom Rider on one of the two buses leaving Washington D.C.  in 1961 headed for New Orleans.  What a privilege to hear the first-hand account of his resolve to continue the trip despite the horrific verbal and physical abuse he endured from the hands of hate filled individuals and mobs. He recounted how he had a little book that he kept in his breast pocket to record important events of the journey, and people who had provided a place to stay and a meal to eat, and who he wanted to thank later.  He regrets losing his coat and never being able to thank these “lesser-known heroes” but will always remember their kindness.  His story inspires and empowers others to not be silent and to continue the fight for justice and dignity for all.

Linda Poston

This Little Light of Mine

Orlando asked Rutha Harris, a freedom singer with a voice that can fill a room of any size, “What advice do you have for our young college students?”

She answered, “Even if you are the only one, take your stand.”

This reminded me of the message Todd reminded us of: “When your bus arrives, will you get on?”

When we approach situations that terrify us, the hardest step is always the first. Our “bus” is no different. More importantly, when we take the first step, it encourages others to join our bus, in the same way Rutha’s riffs and runs inspire those around her to sing even when their throats dry out.

Yesterday, Person mentioned that the goal of civil disobedience is to gain allies. If you’re not making allies, but making enemies, it will hurt the good you are trying to create.

By entering our bus, we can continue to open the doors for other voices to join.

Jon Sison

Atlanta, GA

The idea of King-ian non-violence was emphasized by Dr. Glenn Eskew during his account of his historical expertise on the Civil Rights Movement. King-ian non-violence utilized theology and principles from Mahatma Gandhi while applying it in a relevant way to the African American community. Furthermore, he emphasizes the point that this is not a new concept because the United States itself was founded on non-violence whether it was through boycotts, or events such as the Boston Tea Party. Dr. Glenn Eskew emphasizes the idea that historians reflect on events in the past, but then transitions into the idea of reflecting on the emotions of the past which was presented by Dr. Anthony Grooms. Tony Grooms is a historical fiction author who writes retrospective literature regarding the Civil Rights Movement. He believes that we need to remember to “de-mythologize” or “un-ghost” American culture today and understand the growth process that took place within most of the country because not everybody was supportive of the Civil Rights Movement. Much of the change that occurred, according to Mr. Charles Person, an original Freedom Rider, was due to encouragement which fueled support for the youth to participate in the movement. He emphasizes four principles in which he strongly believes are the keys to success in order to achieve affective change. The first was outreach and involvement. The community needs to be aware of what goals are trying to be achieved. The second is allyship. It is important to diversify allies, this way the change being made is more effective and can reach different communities. The third is being responsible for the consequences and safety of all those involved. He emphasizes these principles with anecdotes of his experiences, and how he was grateful to be alive because he had individuals to reach out for help to when his safety was jeopardized. Lastly, the goals attempting to be achieved must be purposeful and beneficial to the community.

A reoccurring theme during today’s visit was the emphasis on community when initiating change. When visiting the MLK Center today, I noticed both the church and MLK’s homes were extremely close in distance from each other. This allowed and emphasized the idea that MLK was able to spread his ideas of direct-action nonviolence protests through his sermons and through his church community in order to spark the initial seeds of change.  Overall, the power of non-violence is crucial in order to create effective change.

Hannah Kuruvilla

Day 1: Courageous Persistence

Day 1: Courageous Persistence

The visit to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, NC, provided a visual experience of the 4 young men who said “enough is enough” and began the sit-in at the Woolworth Lunch Counter. The original floor, counters, stools and pricing for menu items has been restored and a muti-media presentation in multiple window sections behind the counters depicted how things unfolded and let you enter into the experience.  The courage, dignity and discipline to protest peacefully, despite hate-filled taunts, physical shoving and disrespect inspired others to join them.  Persistence by these four show the power of a few who are willing to step out and peacefully demand that they be seen, served, and treated equally and with dignity.

Linda Poston

Day 1: Courageous Persistence

Day 1: Courageous Persistence
The visit to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in Greensboro, NC, provided a visual experience of the 4 young men who said “enough is enough” and began the sit-in at the Woolworth Lunch Counter. The original floor, counters, stools and pricing for menu items was restored and a muti-media presentation in multiple window sections behind the counters depicted how things unfolded and let you enter into the experience. The courage, dignity and discipline to protest peacefully, despite hate-filled taunts, physical shoving and disrespect inspired others to join them. Persistence by these four show the power of a few who are willing to step out and peacefully demand that they be seen, served, and treated equally and with dignity.
Day 2: Walk the Talk
Watching a documentary on MLK on the bus, I learned new details of his life and how he not only inspired others by his preaching and non-violent protests, but he lived out what he preached in so many different ways. He moved into an apartment without heat in Chicago to live among those he wanted to help with housing. When people in the neighborhood realized it was really Dr. Martin Luther King living among them, he won them over with his actions and life. And he chose not to see others as enemies – he responded to one woman who was hateful toward him with “You’re too beautiful to be so mean” and she later came back and apologized. His love had the power to defuse hatred and bestow dignity.
A highlight was meeting Charles Person, a Freedom Rider on one of the two buses leaving Washington D.C. in 1961 headed for New Orleans. What a privilege to hear the first-hand account of his resolve to continue the trip despite the horrific verbal and physical abuse he endured from the hands of hate filled individuals and mobs. He recounted how he had a little book that he kept in his breast pocket to record important events of the journey, and people who had provided a place to stay and a meal to eat, and who he wanted to thank later. He regrets losing his coat and never being able to thank these “lesser-known heroes” but will always remember their kindness. His story inspires and empowers others to not be silent and to continue the fight for justice and dignity for all.

Greensboro, NC

During our stop at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, I personally did not know what to expect as I entered. I remembered I was both in awe and overwhelmed when the tour guide had alerted the group that the very ground, we were stepping on was the original site of the Woolworth sit-ins in Greensboro, NC. The feelings that rushed through me when seeing the counters and the seats where David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair, and Joseph McNeil had sat down to initiate the sit-ins was something beyond words could explain. These gentlemen were seventeen and eighteen years of age and had the bravery and perseverance to conduct non-violent protests in order to protect and assert their guaranteed liberties as citizens of this country. They’re ambition and willpower allowed for the Woolworth restaurant and another restaurant in the same town owned by the same owner to be desegregated and allowed both colored and white people to sit and be served meals at the counter.

As I was reading through the various informational posters throughout the museum, I was shocked to see that many of the protesters were around my age and many even younger. This highlighted the fact that the younger generations were the catalysts that sparked much of the Civil Rights Movement. A story that really left me heart-broken was the murder of Emmett Till. He was a fourteen-year-old boy who was murdered because he allegedly whistled at a white woman. The torture the poor child was put through was so dehumanizing, and unfortunately, he was not the only child who was a victim of this terror. I personally didn’t realize how much influence the younger generations had on the Civil Rights Movement, and how they dedicated their lives to fight for their freedom. It was truly honorary to hear the stories of these heroes and how regardless of age, each individual had a significant impact in the fight to achieve equality and justice.

Hannah Kuruvilla

Two Realities

Eager about what was going to be learned and unsure of possibility of some ugly truths being revealed, I sat on the long bus ride from Beaver Falls PA, to our first destination, Greensboro, NC, excited and anticipating. Having previously watched the documentary, February 1, in Dr. Allen’s “Rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement” course, and watching it a second time in preparation of visiting the actual Woolworths store, a couple of things stood out to me that I did not recognize the first time watching. A couple themes stood out to me in watching the documentary and visiting the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. What first stood out to me was throughout the film, the men identified that their reasoning behind the sit in was not to start a revolution. They didn’t intend or expect to be publicized, or even spark something greater than themselves, they simply felt their dignity and manhood being challenged and disrespected and wanted to do something about it. They continuously said that what they did was not for the nation, but for themselves- that it was personal. The beautiful thing about that, is that while it was personal for them, it was also very personal for other, and their personal fight with seeking dignity, is what sparked the courage of others as well, to fight what they felt like was a personal attack as well. They too, wanted to stand for their personhood and dignity, and wanted to, as one member on the Greensboro 4 stated, demonstrate a sit-in (or any type of protest), until the nation, until the people enforcing discriminatory regulations, were forced to show them dignity. A quote that really conceptualized the meaning and power behind the Greensboro 4 sit-ins, came from the documentary, and it said “America was being taught how human beings are meant to deal with each other”

Seeing the inside of the Woolworths store and restaurant in the documentary, and my reaction of seeing it in person, surprised me. It was real when I watched footage from the documentary, it was real when I heard the men speak about their experiences, but it was chilling, powerful, overwhelmingly emotional, standing there. Standing on the very tile that those men walked, looking at the cracks, imperfections, and rips of the very stools and very restaurant these men dedicated themselves to. It was powerful. It all represented so much more than what I could put into words. It was such an incredible feeling and experience for me. Walking throughout the rest of the museum, two things stood out to me, the Coke machine, and the image illusion of the white children and their learning environments, and that of the black students. The image was one picture, being the white children in school, and when you moved a different direction, or to a different angle, the image of the black children in school appeared. The drastic difference, the obvious inequity, showed itself the second you moved your position. Similarly, was the Coke machine. On one side, which was for white people, the coke was 5 cents, while on the other side, for black people, the coke was 10 cents. Because there was a wall that divided the two sides, you would never know the price difference, unless you had access to the other side to see. With both pieces, two realities were present, that of the experience of the whites, and that of blacks, but until you stepped at a different angle, unless you looked from a different side, you would have not seen the great difference in these two truths, these two realities. For black people, it was access, and intentional prohibiting from being able to step into the other side, and for white people, it was the inability to see life different, the inability to see a different perspective, or hear another voice, or challenge racist thoughts engraved in them that clouded their ability to see another perspective, to change their angle view, and see another truth; see the ugly truth they didn’t want to face.

Hope Hammond

The A&T Four

Today I embarked on a Returning to the Roots of the Civil Rights tour, sponsored by my employer, Messiah University.  As someone from the north, there is much of this history that I don’t know very well and I have wanted to be on this learning tour for a long time. Leaving western PA at 6 AM, and driving through beautiful West Virginia, our first stop was in Greensboro, NC.  I felt like I knew this story, and I was here a few years ago when in the area for my son’s golf tournament.  But this is a small part of the story I hadn’t known.  As the A & T 4 sat at the counter on the first day, an elderly white woman sat down beside them and said she was disappointed in them.  They asked her why she was disappointed.  And she said, “I’m disappointed that it has taken you this long to do this.”   I had to ask myself.  How often do we, those in the majority, come alongside, in solidarity, with those who are suffering and mistreated right in our midst?

Roseann Sachs

Preservation

As people have begun to enlighten themselves more about the civil rights movement, at some point I almost always hear them say, “I was surprised at how recent everything was. Stuff we were taught in history just happened last century.”

I am no exception.

But as I read various memoirs, flip through the age-tinted pages of books, and watch documentaries, I cannot help but wonder what it is all for. I wander through memorials and museums, but merely a spectacle does not give me a purpose to ponder on memorials instead of art galleries, whose sole purpose is to brandish aesthetic beauty.

Accessible written accounts like While the World Watched or Buses Are a Comin’, and other aspects like geography literally ground the story. Person accounted being threatened by white supremacists, “You’ve made it fine until Georgia, but you’re in Alabama now.” The Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Atlanta was intentionally placed between the church he attended and his home. Though they seem trivial, the accumulation of these details depicts a timeline that demythologizes the civil rights progression. Every single one recorded adds to the validity of a story, in the same way that the four gospels verify the story of Jesus through different accounts with unique omissions.

“Demythologizing…trying to create a more human picture,” said Anthony “Tony” Grooms, amongst a room of amazing testimonies and authors, such as Charles Person, Glenn Eskew, Ebony Glenn, and TM Garret. “Un-ghosting” was another colloquial term used by the speakers. These creators make these unbelievable stories of courage and tragedy the realism by providing all the other of facets that we would not see in a headline.

As “agents of civil rights” (as Nathan phrased it), preserving these stories does not mean learning the history textbook synopsis. It means reading every tile, peering into the windows we can, and shaking the hands callused with memories of all kinds of hardships. Immersing ourselves in the legacies in hopes of preserving it can create a tangible story rather than an old legend with no effect on the present.

Jon Sison

“Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder.”

The Sunday school example of a martyr is Stephen, stoned to death in the New Testament times . While he gave his life for a cause he deeply believed in, I suppose locking the “martyr” definition under the constraints of death limits the coverage of the word down to a noun that spans less than its true worth. A martyr’s ultimate sacrifice is not unanimously death. The ultimate sacrifice of a martyr is to prioritize their cause over whatever they treasure the most.

The target of our value is not simple material. It is something we have invested our life on. A squirrel, in its acrobatic nature, risks its life amongst the treetops every day, but if it were to lose its abundant amounts of stored food, what would become of it? What would be its purpose? Like an ant with no colony, it has become aimless. Death no longer seems that great of a punishment.

On this first day, I now realize that the civil rights movement is a timeline of countless martyrs. And I do not mean to discount the loss of one’s life as an “easy sacrifice”. It still holds its place as the ultimate sacrifice for almost all because the dead cannot reap the harvest of their lifelong investments. Most importantly, the martyrs that died at the front lines of change gave up control of their legacy. Rather, I admire living martyrs with parallel admiration, because often what they gave up meant the world to them.

In Greensboro, we walked the glazed tiles that the A&T four did back in 1960. The four of them, ages 17-18, college freshmen just like us, led the charge in their city. With a plan as elaborate as a heist, they sat on four chairs, alternatingly pink and blue cushions, with one request: to be served by the diner like a human being.

David Richmond. Franklin McCain. Ezell Blair Jr. Joseph McNeil.

They gave their life. They offered their positions they worked so hard for: ROTC, college, grades, careers, etc. They lost their future in that city. The Greensboro four had no home in their hometown any longer. They were rejected by the town they worked so hard to change for the better. They dug themselves a grave so that a new life could be shared by people of all different backgrounds. I cannot imagine the tenacity it took to continue life among those who live life to watch them die.

And this is just the beginning, The civil rights movement is a movement of martyrs: McKinstry, Lewis, Richmond, McCain, Blair Jr. a.k.a. Khazan, and McNeil. Though we don’t have to give our lives, there is a price to change for the better. Once we’re ready to be martyrs, justice in this world overrules the comfortability and privilege that we college students. It takes priority over whatever pleasure we treasure most. Even peace.

In the same way we remember the more recent stories of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, we need to preserve the legacies of the stories of these pioneers of change through both word and action, paving the path for “a better someday”. Otherwise in due time it will wash away.

Jon Sison