Deep South Trip Reflections

Jessye Crowe-Rothstein
April 2001

Sunday, April 15
I arrived at school today excited and unsure of what to expect for the
coming week. Everyone in the group seemed to share a common enthusiasm for
the trip we were embarking on. The flights ran smoothly and on time and
before I knew it we were in Memphis, Tennessee. After meeting our bus driver,
Mr. Crowel, we headed to Motel 6 where we awaited the morning with great
anticipation.
Monday, April 16
Today we woke up and drove the short distance to the former Lorraine
Motel where Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. The old motel signs and the
cars in front of the rooms made it easy to imagine how the building looked
when MLK stayed there. The museum was impressive and had many exhibits and
pictures which made the information I had learned in class come to life. I
was especially moved by the experience of getting on the bus and hearing
voices yell at you and tell you to sit in the back or to move for a white
person. When I got on the bus and first heard an angry voice telling me to
move to the back I was alarmed. I had a better understanding of the fear and
intimidation that blacks must have felt and also a greater appreciation for
Rosa Parks and those who chose to fight the system. When we went upstairs and
looked into the untouched room of Martin Luther King I found myself unable to
take my eyes off the folds in the sheets and the newspaper which was on a
table along with a cup of coffee and some cigarette butts. I couldn't get
over the fact that those were the same sheets that MLK had thrown aside and
the same paper over which his eyes had skimmed. Seeing these things just the
way he left them made me feel a deep sorrow for his death which I could never
have experienced by reading a text book. Not only did room 306 greatly affect
me but our tour guide also caused me to feel greater emotion for the events
of the Civil Rights Movement. When he spoke to us he did not lecture but
addressed us from the heart, letting his own emotions compel us to feel a
greater sorrow. Although I had already learned about the death of Emmitt
Till, our tour guide told us about it with such feeling and wide eyes that
the event affected me just as much as it did when I first heard of it. After
leaving the motel I was drained emotionally and I was glad that our next stop
was Graceland. Even though my audio tour broke after the first minute, it was
fun to see Elvis' wacky style and luxurious accommodations. It made me think
about popular music artists today, and I came to the conclusion that there is
no one today who could even try to compete with the reputation and fame of
Elvis. It's amazing to me to see an idol who was so loved by the public and
is still given so much attention even fifty years after the height of his
fame. When I saw that Elvis' grave was right next to the house as just
another tourist attraction I got a sense of how little privacy he must have
had and I felt sorry for his family who must not be able to visit his grave
without encountering mobs of strangers. The wall surrounding the property was
truly amazing, and I was once again overwhelmed by Elvis's fans undying
devotion. He captured American culture to an unimaginable degree. After the
long day I was glad to arrive in Clarksdale, Miss. where we spent the night
at the Comfort Inn. The people who ran the inn had true Southern hospitality
as they gave us lemonade and popcorn while we watched a short movie and left
Hershey kisses in our rooms.
Tuesday, April 17
Today was packed but one of my favorites. In the morning we visited the
Delta Blues Museum which taught me a lot about the different styles of blues
as it progressed through the years. I enjoyed seeing the old fashioned
instruments that people made and hearing all the different musicians and
their particular approach to music. After this we went to Hopson Plantation
where I was astounded by the number of Confederate flags in the old barn
which had been turned into a bar. I think I counted 15 in total. It was eye
opening to see this and it served to remind me that although the plantation
no longer had slaves racist feelings may still exist. Next we drove on to
Mound Bayou where we met the mayor of the town Milburn Crowe. He was a bit
soft spoken so it was hard to hear and understand everything he said, but
from what I did hear I was surprised to learn of the town's history since I
had never known of a black-owned town during the time of slavery. After
leaving Mound Bayou we drove on to Jackson where we met Hollis Watkins and I
spent my favorite two hours of the whole trip. Mr. Watkins was so kind and
passionate that when he told us stories about going to jail and demonstrating
for freedom we all felt deep sympathy for him. With his incredible bravery
and persistence he made the spirit of the Movement come alive for us all.
When he danced around the room and sang freedom songs with us I could for the
first time imagine the power of the movement and the energy which made it
successful. When we sang "I'm not afraid of your jails," I actually felt the
meaning of what I was saying, and I felt that had I been next to Mr. Watkins
in a demonstration I would have sung this song with him without fear.
Although members of our group arrived in Jackson tired, lethargic, and hungry
we all left Mr. Watkins with renewed spirits. Meeting with Mr. Watkins made
the Civil Rights Movement come alive to me in a way that I would have never
thought possible.
Wednesday, April 18
After the many meaningful and profound events of yesterday we were all
happy to have a leisurely day in New Orleans. A small group of us spent our
time enjoying the food and discovering cute shops filled with Mardi Gras
masks and Bourbon Street shot glasses. We also spent a couple hours in the
park that had flowers blooming and lots of people enjoying the sunny day. I
loved watching the many street performers and musicians, recognizing the
character of the city which was much stronger than that of Boston and places
I'm used to. The old architecture mixed with cobble streets for pedestrians
only were beautiful. Through all these experiences our group has formed a
sense of unity which was not present when the trip began. Although everyone
has their own small group of friends with whom they are rooming, at the same
time a general togetherness has made me feel a fondness for everyone present.
Even after sitting on the bus for many hours with only last night's Taco Bell
in my stomach, when we all belt out "Proud Mary" I am reminded of how lucky
and fortunate I am to be having such an amazing and fun experience.
Thursday, April 19
After an unforgettable breakfast at Shoney's, we drove to Philadelphia,
Mississippi where my other favorite event of the trip took place. We met with
the former newspaper editor who talked with us about the disappearance of the
three Civil Rights workers James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew
Goodman. Mr. Schechter perfectly characterized this experience when he said,
"I've never met someone who spoke so slowly yet captured my attention so
well." Speaking with the editor gave us an example of a white man who had
opposed racism. I think it was important for us to see him and hear his
emotion surrounding this tragic event because it is easy to create barriers
in one's mind and think of all Southern whites as having been racist. I was
amazed by the impact the murders had had on this man, as he told us a day
hasn't gone by when he hasn't thought of those boys. After speaking with the
editor we went to the actual gravesite of James Chaney. The man who took us
there had his young granddaughter with him who was so cute! I was absolutely
in shock when the man told us about the numerous attempts to knock down
Chaney's headstone and when he pointed out the place where Chaney's picture
had been shot out. It made me feel angry and helpless to know that people are
still committing crimes like these. While visiting the grave we all held
hands and sang "We shall overcome." I was overwhelmed by both sadness and
strength at this point, feeling the sadness of the murder and the strength
our group embodied when we sang the so-called "anthem of the movement."
Friday, April 20
Today we woke up and drove to the Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. We
visited the Voting Rights Museum located right near the bridge before
actually walking across the landmark. The woman who gave us a tour was
incredible. She spoke powerfully and forcefully and she made the museum have
a much greater effect on me than it would have had we walked through on our
own. She shoved us all in to a small room, and then told us this was the size
of a jail cell where people arrested during demonstrations had to live. Then
she brought us into another room, ordered us to sit down, and asked us what
we wanted to be when we were older. After we told her our ambitious goals,
she asked us, "Now what if I told you you weren't allowed to be that?" She
brought the notion of equality in to focus, as many of us had never realized
how lucky we were to even have options for our lives and our careers. Next
the Reverend Reeves came to the museum and spoke to us. He showed us a
picture of the front line of the famous Selma to Montgomery March with,
himself, Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King, and the other leaders of the
Civil Rights Movement all side by side. Seeing this photo and the same man
right next to each other forced me to remember that the Civil Rights Movement
did not occur so long ago. We then walked the Pettus Bridge before driving to
Montgomery. Once there we made a quick stop at the memorial for those slain
in the Civil Rights Movement. It was truly beautiful with the water
constantly running over Martin Luther King's words. We then traveled on to
Birmingham where we visited another museum and the 16th Street Baptist
Church. I especially liked the park outside the museum with all the
sculptures. The one of the dogs leaping out at you was particularly
impressive to me because the images of the dogs' open mouths and snarls made
them seem real.
Saturday, April 21
Today we went to Atlanta where we visited the King Memorial and then
spent the afternoon eating and visiting the "Underground Mall." At the King
Memorial the resources and the evidence that the memorial clearly received a
lot of funding impressed me. I liked the huge water pools with King's grave
in the middle. After visiting this site we had free time and celebrated
Nicole's birthday at the Hard Rock Café.
Sunday, April 22
We regretted staying up so late the night before when we met on the bus
at 6:45 to attend the Ebenezer Baptist Church. The church had a very
welcoming atmosphere which I appreciated but which also made me feel like the
majority of the people there were visitors and not regular churchgoers. This
made the experience lose a bit of its authenticity, but I still enjoyed the
choir singing and clapping their hands and the sermons. After the church we
enjoyed our last southern meal at Cracker Barrel and then headed for the
airport to begin the long journey home. I felt sad when leaving because even
though I had seen so much I knew that there was much more to be seen.
Similarly, I felt that although we had traced the progress of the Movement, I
had a new understanding for the amount of work that still needs to be done.
The trip was an unforgettable experience that opened my eyes to a period in
history that has meant so much for our country. People always say that one
can't understand a language until they live in a place where it is spoken,
and I similarly believe that one can't fully understand the Civil Rights
Movement until he or she goes to the South.