Exploring Birmingham
Today was a memorable day. The day started with a technology discussion to get everyone comfortable with the course web site. It was a very efficient talk and it prepared me to begin the day. Our agenda was to explore the 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park and the National Civil Rights Institute. Unfortunately, the 16th Street Baptist Church was closed for Memorial Day. We were unable to go in the church today but tomorrow morning we will attend the service. However, being at Kelly Ingram Park was a great time to personally reflect on the Children’s March and all that people in the past did so I would be able to come there in 2007 with a group of students from Wake Forest University. Interestingly enough, there was a peace rally going on at Kelly Ingram Park by the SCLC, and in a way it was a full circle moment. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was a great experience as well. I was able to tour some of the museum but time constraints permitted and others from the group to finish exploring the museum. My favorite part of the musuem was the Confrontation Gallery, where we could hear the voices of adults, children, Whites and Blacks say things that they would only say behind closed doors. The question that the exhibit makes you ask yourself is, “Could that have been my voice?” After leaving the institute, we ate lunch at Mrs. B’s, a soul food cafe down the street from the church, park and museum. Southern cooking is one of my favorite aspects of Southern culture. Mrs. B’s is well known and in the restaurant there are pictures of celebrities who have come and enjoyed the great food.
My favorite part of the day was the talk with Judge Helen Shores Lee, Mrs. Barbara Shores, and Mrs. Peggy Heidi. The discussion was really personal and I loved the bond that the Shores sisters had with one another. This form of oral history is one of the fascinating ways to learn espcially for a Southern topic because of the importance of conversation for Southerners. I enjoyed hearing the perspective of the bombings from both Black and White citizens of Dynamite Hill and how they both were affected by the bombings and prejudice in general. Mrs. Heidi represented a view point that is rarely depicted when discussing the Civil Rights Movement and the importance of a city like Birmingham in the movment. After the discussion, we were able to take a tour with Mrs. Heidi and it was a great experience to see the childhood home of Black Panther/Activist, Angela Davis. It is interesting to think of the racial and socio economic dynamics of Dynamite Hill during the Civil Rights Movement and present day. It seemed as if the street is now mostly Black, low to middle class families that live there.
Lastly, tonight we ate dinner at DreamLand BBQ with a Wake Forest alumnus, Cameron Cole. Cole is a native of Birmingham and he is the reason why we were able to meet with Mrs. Heidi and the Shores sisters today. Dinner was great and seemed to make everyone feel at home because of the relaxed atmosphere.