Comments from our students: 

Amelia 

1:35 PM

My overall experience was definitely something that I will always remember. I learned many things that I did not know before at museums, churches, and overall the whole experience. It’s pretty impossible not to be learning things all the time, except when we are sleeping. The trip was really amazing and I would definitely recommend something like this with you're family and friends. It’s not really possible to have the same experience as everyone on this trip, but you could probably come pretty close.

Ana 

2:29 PM

I really loved this trip! It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity. It was a really moving experience to talk to people who lived through the Civil Rights Movement. They taught us so much, and gave us the perspective that a textbook never could have. It was also a really good opportunity to get closer relationships with people. I went into this trip with good friends, and I came out with best friends.

Anya 

1:32 PM

I loved the trip, I thought all the places we went each had their own charm. We went to many museums which got a bit boring because all of them were basically the same. I enjoyed getting to know my friends better.

Baden 

2:36 PM

The middle school trip in 2017 is something that I will always remember and hold close to me. Through churches, museums, food, and different culture I learned a lot more than I imagined I would. It was a very powerful trip in the sense that I was able to see huge parts of history with my own eyes; for example, seeing where Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated at the Lorraine motel, and eating dinner next to a $6.6 million dollar Elvis guitar. My overall experience on the trip was amazing.

Caitlin 

1:24 PM

It was amazing. I got to be with my friends and learn at the same time. We went to some incredible locations, including the National Civil Rights Museum and the Rock n Soul museum. -Caitlin

Caroline 

2:33 PM

The Civil Rights Trip was a journey that I will never forget. It had a major impact on my life, and it was a once in a lifetime experience that I will hold on to forever. I loved going to the churches and museums because they were really awesome and I learned a lot from them. Also, the fact we were by ourselves without our parents gave us a sense us independence which was really neat. I loved how we could actually see the places that we were studying on school, and how we covered Martin Luther King's life, by starting in Atlanta, and then going to Selma and Memphis. The trip was fantastic and I hope the Middle School continues to do this.

Christopher 

1:29 PM

I thought that the journals kind of made the trip more stressful but overall it was a good experience . Chris

Coen

2:35 PM

To be honest, I would give the trip an 11/10. Everywhere we toured had a unique history behind then (even the churches, although they got quite repetitive at times). I also really enjoyed being with my friends, laughing at the back of the bus and at breakfast, hearing about what was on TV, the day ahead and how there was a ghost in the toilet.

Coltrane 

1:26 PM

It was a great experience get to be in the places of the Civil Rights Movement. The rock and soul museum was also really fun do to its vast collection of music.

Emma 

2:35 PM

I think that overall the trip was an amazing and very valuable experience. It was really awesome to be able to go to the places we had been learning about in school and talk to people from that time and look at primary sources from that era. It was very moving to visited places that were linked to many historic events, such as Birmingham, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot, where he preached and some locations of other famous events, it made them seem more real. I think that from this trip I really learned about society, how change happens and what I can do to affect it, by learning from the past.

Francisco 

2:28 PM

I had a lot of fun on the trip, and really enjoyed the opportunity to be in an environment like that with all of my friends. I especially liked the museums. because (with the exception of the one in Selma), they all had a really good flow and had a lot of interesting facts and artifacts. I also liked the things we physically did, like walking over the Edmund Pettis bridge and going on a riverboat. I ended the trip with much more knowledge and a greater appreciation of the movement.

Isabella 

1:29 PM

This trip was really fun! I really enjoyed flying on the planes to arrive at our destination. My favorite parts were Montgomery and Memphis. In Montgomery, I really enjoyed all the history that was there and the museums were amazing. In Memphis, I really enjoyed Beale Street because of all the life and music. Though the bus rides were long, it was the best relaxing time on the trip and a great social time with friends. I enjoyed the social time at meals and at the hotels. This trip was a really positive experience for me overall.

-Isabella 

Joseph 

2:35 PM

Our Civil Rights trip was a huge learning opportunity for the entire class. We got to see things such as the National Civil Rights museum as well as the place that Martin Luther King Jr. died: The Lorraine Motel. We also got to taste a whole bunch of new great southern foods.

Lauren

1:31 PM

I found that the trip enhanced my knowledge on the Civil Rights Movement by quite a lot. Being able to see the places that all these important events took place made it easier for me to realize the true hardships of the time.

Logan

1:24 PM

The trip was well worth it, I learned a lot and bonded well with friends. Logan did this.

Lola 

1:30 PM

I found that the trip was very educational but still fun. I learned about protests that I had not known about and I also learned more about topics that I had already learned about. Going to all of these places and seeing where it all happened made it all seem more real for me, it also helped me realize how important all of this was and how much it has changed our present. I especially liked learning from a tour guide who had lived through this because we got to hear some of her memories and not just learn about it from a sign or a textbook. Overall this was a really fun and educational trip that has changed the way I view the Civil Rights Movement.
Lola

Molly 

2:31 PM

The Civil Rights Tour- March 2017, was an unforgettable learning experience in my time at Middle School. I learned things not only about academics but about my friends, and other classmate that I can now call my friends. I now have closer bonds with people that I was friends with before, and now new things about people that I barely stopped to acknowledge in the hallway. When leaving for the trip, I was upset that I was not in a room with any of my close friends (More specifically my best friend), but as time went on and late night chats occurred, I became closer (quite literally because I shared a bed with one of them) to my classmates in my room.

Neshima 

1:35 PM

It was incredibly powerful to learn about ways the black community organized to demand their civil and human rights through demonstrations, marches, sit-ins, standing up to police, powerful words, music, community work, and building interracial solidarity. I found it especially inspiring to hear personal testimonies of people who were active participants in the Civil Rights Movement at a young age, as it became exceedingly evident that I, as an adolescent, can be a agent of change. Our Civil Rights journey left me with a feeling of pride and power for my black ancestry and community, in addition to a feeling of responsibility to act when I see something unjust.

Phineas 

1:30 PM

私は私の友情を強めることができたので私の全体的な経験は素晴らしかったです
My overall experience was wonderful as I was able to strengthen my friendships.

Sarah 

2:36 PM

We went to museums, churches, and a few more places on the trip. We went to a lot of museums that talked about civil rights and civil right events like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, The 16th street Baptist church bombing, Klu klux klan, etc. We also went to quite a few churches as well. We went up Stone Mountain. Stone Mountain had a carving of some confederates.

Sia 

2:30 PM

The Civil Rights Journey we took is definitely something that impacted my learning experience for the better. I was able to visit many amazing museums and sites all of which had a very special piece of historical information attached to them. The trip was a very great way for all of us to bond and enrich our learning. While others may disagree, I honestly think the journey journals were a good way to reflect on the places we visited and gain more insight on them. Being able to visit the birth home and the death spot of Martin Luther King Jr. as well as tour the Edmund Pettus Bridge and Selma area with Dianne Harris, a Civil Rights activist, (and quite a few other things) was one of the biggest and greatest opportunities I have ever had.

Ty 

1:27 PM

I enjoyed our Civil Rights trip. I think that it was a good learning experience. It was also a lot of fun. My favorite part was climbing stone mountain.

Victor 

2:34 PM

This trip was overall a great learning experience, and I got to know people I previously didn't communicate with much. The trip really helped me understand what we were learning about in a deeper way.

William 

1:28 PM

I think that this was a great experience because we experienced the emotions of people who participated in the movement. It was also helpful because many of the museums gave us material that is different from the regular curriculums for most schools which enhances our understanding of the movement. I think that the Rock 'n' Soul museum and Memphis Music Hall of Fame were some of the best places to go to because they showed a different side of interaction of blacks and whites during the time and we all learned much from it.

Yabisi 

1:34 PM

This is a great opportunity for people who don't travel a lot of people who do but don't travel in large groups. This trip offers hiking, team bonding, group building, and learning experiences. You get exercise when hiking up Stone Mountain, walking around in big cities, or swimming in pools at hotels. Many people practice team bonding when spending time in small groups, hotels, on buses, or planes. When visiting museums offers students examples to learn about and talk about their projects and others work. Overall this is can be an amazing trip to learn about the country we live in, the people we learn with, and the past of our country. -Yabisi 

Yolanda 

1:34 PM

I really enjoyed this trip because it was a really good learning experience. I especially enjoyed the churches because they let you process what you felt about the Civil Rights Movement not what other people wanted you to feel. The museums were pretty cool as well because they weren't all worlds there were a lot of attic facts as well. My overall experience was a good one. I missed last year’s eighth graders because they kind of made or broke the trip so I really hope that we didn't ruin the trip for the seventh graders because I feel like the eighth graders make an influence on the babies.

Jesse

The trip was amazing.  We would have limited time at each stop. When we traveled on the bus, it would be from an hour and a half to two hours. It gave you a break from the touring and time to hang out with friends.  I was very intrigued when we found out Rosa Parks was illegally arrested.  Actually seeing how big the Stone Mountain carving is was also interesting.  Another interesting thing we did was visit the Lorraine Motel where MLK Jr. was assassinated. 

The teachers all commented on how wonderful our students were on our class trip.   It was a memorable experience and one we will never forget.   Thank you!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

MS Civil Rights Trip - Day 5

Neshima Vitale-Penniman

    The past few days have been absolutely amazing, but today is the last day of the MS Civil Rights Intercession Trip. Travel days couldn’t be more vibrant with the WHMS Middle School, though. Between a bus ride and plane trips, we have maintained positive attitudes and discussed our favorite parts of the trip. Being together constantly has truly strengthened the MS community. Deep conversations, exciting games, and awful jokes bring out the multifaceted nature of each individual in our community that make it such a fulfilling group to be in.

    Being the final day of our incredible Civil Rights journey, it is a time of reflection on our moving experiences, the stories we have heard, and the information graciously shared with us. It has been extremely powerful to hear the stories of Civil Rights leaders such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks whose work inspired thousands to stand up for their human and civil rights. Reading and listening to personal testimonies of people who put their safety and their lives in jeopardy to gain equality has also been inspiring and moving. One such person, Dianne Harris, shared about her experiences as a young activist fighting for voting rights, which showed that we, as young people, can impact our communities and this world. In addition, we have learned about the numerous things that made the Civil Rights Movement as powerful as it was - what kept the community strong and connected. Music, dance, speeches, art, and unconditional love maintained the pride and power that allowed the black community to collaborate in working towards social change. We have also learned of the actions courageous individuals and groups took to oppose racial oppression, and we have viewed physical remnants of their experiences. As a result of their work, our lives as Americans have been completely transformed. Dr. King's dream has, in many ways, become a reality. However, it has become increasingly evident that our generation has much work to do ensure that all people are “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Learning about black history is an excellent foundation to be an agent of social change, for the Middle School now more deeply understands the root of racial injustice and how it has been upheld over time. This trip will be an experience we will all remember for many years to come given the ways it has inspired, informed, and brought joy to us. Thank you to our teachers for making this trip possible and to those in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee who guided and taught us throughout our journey.

Memphis

Photos of Selma

Soul food lunch - fried chicken, turnip greens, green beans, sweet potatoes, corn bread, and sweet tea. Housing across from Brown AME Chapel where activists gathered mostly at night to organize marches. Tour guide and activist foot soldier (at age 15) and childhood of Ms. Harris Selma Interpretive Center run by the National Park Service. This is on the other side of the bridge towards Montgomery  where  the marchers faced posse men- white men who were deputized by the sheriff and blocked the road.  

Photos of Birmingham

Heading to Tupeloin front of the pizza place Slice Yolanda reading her essay in front of 16th St Baptist church in Birmingham in 1963 where 4 little girls were killed in a bombing. Emma reading essay in Kelly Ingram Park across from church about the children's crusade for Civil Rights. 

Day 3- Selma and Birmingham

by Wil

Today was the day that we experienced the emotions of Civil Rights Activists. We had a tour of Selma with Dianne Harris and her fellow activists. Dianne and her brother both marched on bloody Sunday March 7th on Edmund Pettus Bridge. Dianne shared her experience of hearing screams and smelling tear gas, then grabbing her brothers hand and running. They were determined to get to Brown Chapel Church but they saw an old woman trying to run but she was not able to keep up. They stopped to help her and she managed to run another block and a half but could run no further. They wanted to help because they saw a policeman on horseback riding toward them but the old woman urged them on. Dianne remembers seeing the policeman beat the old woman with his Billy club and then chase after them. On 2 separate occasions Dianne was arrested and spent time in jail. She and her best friend recounted this story and others with emotion which gave us the feel of what activists might have felt in their time. We then headed to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Here they had the real bell from the 16th St Baptist Church when it was bombed. The bombing killed four children and 2 others were killed on the same day January 15th. We experienced a video and then went on a self guided tour featuring the Freedom Riders, MLK’s famous I Have a Dream speech, the role of churches during the movement, Carver Theatre, Women in the Movement, 4th Avenue Business District, Farm Workers rights and more. We then went to see the 16th St Baptist Church and one of the students presented on it. We then went to Kelly Ingram Park. This park includes monuments dedicated to the Children's Crusade, The Foot Soldiers, MLK, and much more. We also read excerpts from MLK’s Letter from Birmingham jail to the white clergymen who joined together to criticize his movement. In this letter he depicts his reasons for non-violent protest and the reasons for choosing that time to spark the movement. In Selma and Birmingham we learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement and it was a pleasure to be there.