A man once had a dream… that would eventually become a reality. Tragically, realizing that dream came at the cost of his life. But the incredible impact Martin Luther King Jr. left behind has remained, and is even celebrated as a national holiday. Despite our Declaration of Independence stating, “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal,” our history hasn’t exactly held to the “all” part of the statement. The most notable exception is the Civil Rights Movement—something that is often emphasized during February as part of Black History Month. But it’s just one of several social injustices that the United States has experienced over the last few centuries.
In honor of those who endured them, we’ve featured nine destinations where prominent incidents of racial inequality or persecutions took place, as well as efforts that have been made to recognize these struggles. By visiting these places and increasing the awareness of these atrocities, it’s one step closer to reaching what MLK described as when “every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low.”
1) MLK Center – Atlanta, Ga.
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The dream began in Atlanta, which is home to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site in the Sweet Auburn district. This area includes the MLK Center for Nonviolent Social Change, his birth home, and the place where his eloquent, inspiring speeches were first heard: Ebenezer Baptist Church. It’s also home to the memorial tomb of MLK and his wife, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame spotlighting the many individuals who battled for equality, and a visitor center that contains a museum chronicling the American Civil Rights Movement. It’s a fitting tribute to the man who’s dream of being “free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last” ultimately became a reality.
2) Rosa Parks Museum – Montgomery, Ala.
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Her justified act of defiance in 1955 was a landmark moment of the Civil Rights Movement, inspiring thousands to take part in the Montgomery Bus Boycott (and to a much lesser degree, her refusal to move to the back of the bus also impacted culture by inspiring Outkast’s first hit song—even though she sued them for misappropriation). The Rosa Parks Museum has been constructed on the site of the old Empire Theater, the bus stop where she refused to move, and is part of the Troy State University-Montgomery Campus Library. The museum includes a permanent exhibit regarding her brave stand that includes artifacts, a replica of that infamous bus, a children’s wing, and a time machine that lets visitors journey through the history of Jim Crow laws up to where Ms. Parks would not, as Andre 3000 might say, “hush that fuss,” when she refused to give up her seat. (more…)
Our nation is currently facing several crises. There’s the spiraling-out-of control national debt. Record unemployment. No health care reform. And the lack of any real talent on this season of American Idol. But the greatest crisis in America’s history has eventually become a booming niche in the vacation industry, so there is hope (except maybe for American Idol).
Three phrases can stir a Southern man’s heart: “Suppertime!” (Especially when