Day 2 Atlanta, Georgia & Birmingham, Alabama

Atlanta, Georgia

This morning, we had the opportunity to visit Ebenezer Baptist Church. After service, the students toured the historic site of Ebenezer Baptist Church, where we were able to hear King's last sermon. Ebenezer was the King family church and where Dr. King's father preached. As a group we toured the MLK Museum and saw the house of Dr. King, as well as the resting place of him and his wife Coretta Scott King.

In the afternoon, the young men toured Morehouse College and the women Spelman College.

Birmingham, Alabama 

Later that evening, the group traveled to Birmingham where we visited the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. The Institute chronicles the history of Birmingham and how it became notorious for being the most segregated city in America. We visited the bombing site of the 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park. Afterward, we met and heard the stories of three activists who participated in Birmingham's movement. The activists were Barbara Mimes, Cleopatra Gore and Catherine Burkes-Brooks. They shared with us their experiences and what it was like living in Birmingham during the Jim Crow era.  Barbara Mimes was a high school student and participated in Project C, which was the children's march. Cleopatra Gore was a teacher during the time of the movement and she encouraged students to participate and get involved. Lastly there was Catherine Burkes-Brooks, who was a Freedom Rider and helped to integrate Interstate Commerce.