The Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders

 The road in Montgomery, Alabama that the freedom Riders came on and the bus was lit on fire

 On May 20th, 1961. A group of black and white

SNCC members led by John Lewis left Birmingham

bound for Montgomery on  a greyhound bus. They

were determined to continue te "Freedom Ride"

from Washington D.C. to New Orleans that had

met with violence in Birmingham. Their purpose

was to test a court case. "Boynton Vs. Virginia"

Declaring segregation in bus terminals unconstitutional.

Upon arriving in Montgomery their police

escort disappeared, and an angry mob of over

200 Klan supporters attacked and injured them.

At the greyhound terminal. Attorney General

Robert F. Kennedy was so enraged that he sent

in 450 U.S. marshals and thus became active

in the movement.

All of these quotes and dedication to the lives that were lost and those injured are on the walls of

the greyhound bus station.

Rosa Parks

When I discovered we would be stopping in Montgomery, Alabama I started looking for things

we could do in a short amount of time.

On top of the list was to visit the Rosa Parks Museum.

When we got to the museum we discovered that we couldn't do a self guided tour and
a guided tour would be an hour for each section and for a fee.
Being short on time we decided we would just browse the few rooms that visitors could see.

 

At the information desk the nice lady told us that Troy University purchased the land around the street where Rosa Parks refused to get off the bus. The University noticed how many people would visit and take pictures with her sign. So the university decided to build a museum in her honor.

 



 Love this quilt: Woman of quiet strength, faith, dignity and love

She also told us we could walk down the street and see where the Freedom Fighters took place.

Standing where history took place and changed a nation

can be felt full of emotions/feelings you can't find in history books.

Our desire is to continual be educated to teach our family and teach

future generations about what makes our nation a nation we love.

A nation of individuals full of courage with ordinay people.

We discovered Montgomery is the capital of Alabama and so much to see. We walked and walked.

 

 

 

It's actually only a few blocks from the time Rosa Parks got on the bus to when she got off.

 

 

 

As we walked it was so quite as though the town was shut down. It felt ghostly like but a city that's hard to imagine was bustling with life that dates back to slavery auctions in the center of town that goes back to the 1700's...



Alabama

First time in Alabama not sure exactly what to expect.

After being in Texas for a year with no mountains and lacking full trees.

Alabama felt like breathing life back into my nature soul.

The State of Alabama exceeded my expectations.

Beautiful green rolling hills and massive church buildings.

Lovely church buildings which seemed to keep getting Bigger and Bigger as we kept on driving.

So grateful my husband was gracious enough to drive 1,300 miles to our destination so I could sit in the passenger seat and enjoy the view