In June, students from Rogers High School embarked on a powerful, week-long Civil Rights Tour through the American South. Their journey included visits to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park and museum, and Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, The Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church in Alabama. These sacred sites of memory, resistance, and transformation offered more than history lessons–they sparked reflection, emotion, and a deepened sense of responsibility.
In a time when the teaching of Black history is being challenged or restricted in many parts of the country, experiential learning is more vital than ever. Civil Rights education is not just about the past – it equips young people to recognize injustice, stand in truth and carry forward unfinished work of equity and liberation. While textbooks can outline dates and legislation, real-world experience allows students to walk the paths of ancestors, touch the soil of struggle, and hear the echoes of voices that still speak today. What follows are personal reflections from the students themselves.
What Will You Remember?
Emmanuel
“It really felt connected to the history because it was more hands-on and right in front of me. One quote from Harriet Tubman that stuck with me – after seeing what the slaves went through – was her saying it was hell.”
Toby
“I believe that I will forever remember the museum with the jars of dirt on the wall, from the places where they were lynched.” (At the Legacy Museum, founded by Bryan Stevenson, there were jars of different shades of brown – meant to represent the bodies and ashes of those who were lynched in the Deep South – placed on shelves to convey the magnitude and dehumanization of racial terror through the display of jars holding brown ashes. Learn more at legacysites.eji.org/about.)
Meredith
“When we went to that small museum where the young lady toured us – she was the head researcher – and then the owner came through and said, ‘Before you judge anybody, just look at them and see that they’re human.’ ”
Amari
“One thing I’ll remember forever is learning that there were actually five girls in the church that was bombed, not four. I had always thought there were only four.”
Ella
“I learned that everyone is connected through history. My culture has a deeper story – one that wasn’t meant to be told. What the government and school systems left out came to life in the art, sculptures, and museums. I’ll always remember the friendships I made, the knowledge I gained about Black history, and even the bug bites! But overall, I’ll remember how easy it was to connect with everyone and how much I grew.”
Kinton
“Birmingham bombings.”
How Will This Shape Your Future?
Emmanuel
“It makes me feel like it only takes like-minded and educated people to stand up for what’s right. You have to recognize problems, bring awareness, and attack them in the most effective way. Like different leaders – Malcolm X, MLK, John Lewis – they saw problems and acted. It’s about seeing something and doing something.”
Toby
“I feel like this will cause me to be more forgiving of things. I’d say I’d go to more protests, but I already go to all of them.”
Meredith
“I think it will influence me to see people more positively and realistically. Everyone goes through good times and hard times – it doesn’t matter who they are. We’ve all been through something.”
A Thank You to the Supporters
Emmanuel
“I want to thank you and my mom for making this trip possible [for me]. I want to thank Mrs. Dione for being our tour guide, for paying for food, and just being generous and genuine. The trip was not only fun but very informative. It opened my eyes to my history and gave me the hands-on experience I needed. I feel like this trip will help me in how I understand history and how I interact with others when it comes to race or racism. Mrs. Dione did a great job breaking down each place and showing us where to eat. She did a great job – job well done.”
Meredith
“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the Civil Rights Tour. It completely changed my view of history, the world, politics – everything. It really educated me the way I hoped it would. I’m less ignorant now, and more aware. I see the world in a better, more informed way. I’m so, so thankful.”