With Jim at the wheel of the big white van, Kuvvat, George, Annie, Norina, Joy, Paula, Urich, Jessica, and Juneseong traveled to Birmingham to for a Civil Rights Activity on February 25. We were joined there by Wetumpka area Local Coordinator Christy and four of her exchange students. We all had a great day.
First we visited the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, site of a KKK bombing that killed four little girls in September, 1963. Church members gave us a tour of the church, talked to us about its history and showed us a video about the bombing. The church was used by Civil Rights Movement organizers to plan peaceful marches, sit-in, and other activities which is probably why it was bombed. The bombing drew international attention and criticism of segregation in the southern United States.
After the program, the student posed for a group photo on the front steps of the historic church.
After lunch at Milo's, a Birmingham-based hamburger place, we visited the Civil Rights Institute, a museum that focuses on African-American history in Alabama and the important role Birmingham played in the Civil Rights Movement. Norina echoed everyone's impression of the museum when she said she often finds museums boring but not this one. It was extremely well done and interesting!
Next we visited the park just across the street and the students posed for a group photo in front of a statue of Martin Luther King, father of the Civil Rights movement who was very active in Birmingham in the 1950s and 60s.
Before heading home, we visited Vulcan Park which overlooks downtown Birmingham.
