University of Memphis students traveled to Birmingham, Ala., in an effort to understand the city that endured so much turmoil in the 60s."This trip was originally for The University's honors course. It's the first organized out-of-town trip.
We wanted our students to think about how African-American culture is portrayed in different venues," said Dr. Doveanna Fulton, professor of African-American literature, Women's Literature and American literature.The eleven-member group included present and future undergraduate and graduate students and instructors.
"We are in the process of developing a Web site as a class to integrate the Mid-South and its people's experience," Fulton said. Birmingham was the center of the civil rights movement in the late 50s and early 60s. The leaders of the movement held meetings in the black community in homes and churches.
"Having lived in the north during the 50s and 60s, it's different watching it in comparison to living it," said Lou Paris, a senior journalism major, referring to the television and newspaper coverage of the civil rights movement.
The 1963 Supreme Court's decision of Brown vs. Board of Education was the catalyst that led to the desegregation of public schools and led Birmingham to be dubbed "Bombingham."
According to Rev. John Cross, being black and living in Birmingham at that time was like "sitting on a keg of dynamite." Cross is the former pastor of the 16th Street Baptist Church, featured in a video entitled "Angels of Change." The video is played at the start of the tour and chronicles the events that led up to the bombing. Myrtle Whittstone, long time church member and tour leader, remembers that day in September 1963 as if it were yesterday.
"We, the church, had been receiving anonymous phone calls several months prior to the bombing," she said. "The pastor had tasked several of the church deacons with providing security both in and around the church. I remember being the first one at the church that day. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as I came into the church."
Across the street from the church is the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. As visitors approach the ticket box, a statue of Rev. Fred Shuttleworth stands at the front of the Institute. Shuttleworth, who had been the spiritual leader of the 16th Street Baptist Church, was beaten by a mob of angry white parents when he tried to enroll his children in the all white Phillips High School.
Entering the Institute, visitors are treated to the video "Going Up to Birmingham 1871-1921," which gives a brief history of the formation of Birmingham as an industrial city.
Visitors can see items used in the struggles that African-Americans went through to secure rights that others take for granted.
"Seeing this stuff still has the power to move me," said Indianapolis resident Paula Smith Wilson who was visiting the institute with her daughter.
"I participated in some of the protests when I was younger. I feel that it is unfortunate that as a people we have let power brokers take power away from us. We've been divided and conquered yet again," Wilson said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Everyone should come here at least once in their life."
