but I now see that it was more complex...

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I felt that the museum was very evocative and gave me a lot to think about. Probably the most emotional part of the tour was when we were looking at images of violence inflicted upon those who were completely innocent, their only crime was either standing up against the status quo, or simply existing. Before today I had always thought there were only four girls who were killed or injured in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. 
    I was shocked there was another girl who was severely injured, and I’m still wondering why she was left out. Her being alive and having gone through that traumatic experience raises the question as to why she hasn’t been compensated with reparations for that event. I also found it interesting that Rosa Parks wasn’t the first person to refuse to give up their seat from the segregated bus, but Claudette Colvin. The reasoning explained to us was that she was pregnant, which would ruin her image. Before going to this museum, I had assumed Rosa Parks ascension as a face of the Civil Rights Movement was due to colorism, but I now see that it was more complex than that.
    I think something I’ll always remember from this experience would be the quote our tour guide read from Maya Angelou: “Walls turned sideways are bridges.” We will always be able fight with our words, rather than our fists, and the several non-violent protests we’ve seen today only strengthens that statement. I am so glad I was able to learn this and many other things today, and hopefully that thread continues for the rest of this week!

-Tyrese

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