Marching Down "Freedom's Road" Study Seminar 2025

Sunday, June 22

• • Center for Civil and Human Rights: Immerse yourself in the powerful history of civil rights struggles and human rights achievements. The exhibits here will deepen your understanding of the fight for equality and inspire you with the resilience and courage of those who fought for their rights.

• • • Enjoy a warm welcome dinner with Mr. Charles Person and engage in conversations about the history and impact of the Civil Rights Movement. Mr. Person, as the youngest Freedom Rider, will share his personal experiences, fostering a sense of connection and empathy among the participants.

Monday, June 23

• • Visit the Hebrew Benevolent Temple, an important site reflecting the intersection of Jewish and Black communities in Atlanta, bombed for its rabbi's advocacy of racial justice.
  • Explore the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, including the King Visitor Site and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King preached. Reflect on the legacy of his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement.

• • • Embark on a scenic drive to Montgomery, Alabama, the heart of the civil rights struggle. Along the way, pass through picturesque Southern landscapes that were once the backdrop to pivotal historical moments.
    • Tour the historic Alabama State Capitol ground, where the Civil Rights Movement culminated in the Selma to Montgomery marches. Reflect on the controversial J. Marion Sims Statue, acknowledging the complexities of medical ethics and history.
    • Visit the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Dr. King served as pastor, and the First Baptist Church, a key site in the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Tuesday, June 24

• • Drive to Selma, Alabama, a town symbolic of the fight for voting rights. Cross the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the brutal "Bloody Sunday" clash occurred. Meet foot soldiers who supported justice efforts in the 1960s.

Wednesday, June 25

• • Spend the day learning at the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) sites, including the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum. These profoundly moving sites address the history of racial inequality in America and memorialize the victims of lynching and injustice.

Thursday, June 26

• • Tour the Rosa Parks Museum, dedicated to the "Mother of the Civil Rights Movement." Learn about the courage and impact of Rosa Parks's refusal to give up her seat, which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
  • Visit the Mothers of Gynecology site to consider racial justice in healthcare and historiography.

• • • Depart for Birmingham, Alabama, a city known for its pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement.
    • Visit Kelly Ingram Park, where nonviolent protesters, including children, faced brutal responses during the Civil Rights Movement.
    • Visit the Temple Beth-El to learn about this Jewish congregation's contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.

Friday, June 27

Morning:

• • Visit the historic 16th Street Baptist Church.
  • Explore the surrounding Kelly Ingram Park and the historic Dynamite Hill, a neighborhood central to the struggle for desegregation.
  • Tour the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

• • • Enjoy Shabbat dinner in Memphis.

Saturday, June 28

• • Start your day at the National Civil Rights Museum, once the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King was assassinated. Explore the powerful exhibits that vividly chronicle America's fight for civil rights.

• • Lunch at a local restaurant.
  • Visit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, which celebrates the legacy of soul music and its role in the cultural landscape of the Civil Rights Movement.

• • Visit the Withers Collection to learn more about the role of the Black press in documenting and advancing the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Enjoy a farewell dinner.

Sunday, June 29

• • Fly home with a renewed perspective on the history and ongoing fight for civil rights, inspired to share your experiences and advocate for justice in your community.

Resources for the seminar will be available after participant acceptance.