A burning bus: Freedom Riders National Monument and Anniston’s Civil Rights Trail
One of the most shocking moments of the civil rights movement occurred on Mother’s Day, 1961, when the Freedom Riders reached Anniston, Alabama. As the bi-racial group of integrated college students and activists passed through the small city roughly halfway between Atlanta and Birmingham, their bus was attacked and set on fire. On a second […]
A Montgomery civil rights museum and its harrowing lynching memorial
What is the power of a memorial? In Montgomery, the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice has single-handedly made the nation confront its violent racial past. Until its debut in 2018, mentioning racial violence like lynching was still taboo. Some museums made reference, but for the most part it was too much […]
Civil rights attractions in Birmingham, Alabama
Dr. Martin Luther King was a frequent visitor to Birmingham, and came to know the city’s racial strife — and its African-American leaders. It would be hard to understate the city’s role in Civil Rights history, which makes a Birmingham tour, a key experience for any visitor. The city, once known for police-dog attacks and […]
Civil rights attractions in Montgomery Alabama: Rosa Parks, King and the Freedom Rides
No other city plays such a pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement as Montgomery, Alabama. The sleepy state capital was not only where Rosa Parks made history and Martin Luther King Jr., made his name. But it’s where Freedom Riders were beaten, and National Guard troops had to protect the city from exploding. It’s […]
Follow the Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail
Only 54 miles separate Selma and Montgomery, but that span changed history. A five-day protest march to Montgomery in March 1965 riveted the nation, and attracted protesters from across the globe. When the marchers finally finished at the Alabama State Capitol, thousands gathered to hear Martin Luther King Jr. declare victory in his “How Long? […]