I am still thinking about my great trip to Alabama. While I had been to Birmingham and Montgomery before, this was my first time visiting Selma. (Check out my Montgomery post here)
Our tour in Selma wouldn’t have been the same without Ms. Joanne Bland, a tour operator and a voting rights activist that grew up in Selma. (You can find out more about her tour here )
Immediately upon driving into the town, it felt like going back in time. The central area had old buildings and houses that made me feel like the 60’s… in a good way of course. I love going through old towns Main St to see the old building structures. I actually prefer that (I think that’s why I love New Orleans so much).
We went on a lovely tour around Selma visiting churches and really learning about race relations in the city. At the Brown Chapel AME Church, in the middle of a project complex, they felt this was the best place to meet up because you will see enemies coming before they reach.
I walked the Edmund Pettus Bridge and took in the moment. I will tell you, this tour was emotional.. but in a way I needed. I needed to hear stories from people who actually participated in the Civil Rights movement, those that stood up for our people.
Bloody Sunday was devastating. The beatings didn’t just happen on the bridge— it happened at a church as well. They were followed and continued to be beaten.
We headed to the Old Live Oak Cemetery that had a statue of one of the first leaders of the KKK.
I’m not going to tell you all of the stories, because I am sure most of you are aware. Next time you are looking for an educational tour and traveling to or through Alabama, definitely stop by and learn something new and get some great southern food. Check out Ms Blands tour!
Thank you to the Alabama Tourism Board
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