I enjoyed visiting the 16th Street Baptist Church. Seeing the Church in person is much more valuable to me, than just reading about it. I liked hearing the speech from the volunteer, and all of his advice. I thought it would be one of those boring 2 hour long speeches, but he actually caught my attention. I am a visual learner, so seeing the church in person was very intriguing. Being able to sit where all the African Americans sat during the Civil Rights movement and hear about the bombs made it feel more realistic to me. My favorite thing in the church was the stained glass of Jesus. I had learned about the bombing that killed the four girls in the bathroom before I visited the church. Being where they were made my heart feel even worse for those little girls. I enjoyed the church and I would love to go back.
The Civil Rights Institute changed my perspective on the Civil Rights Movement. We hear about how black people were punished, thrown around, and mistreated everyday. I did not truly realize how sickening it was until I was walking through the Institute, and seeing real live scenes from the Movement. The KKK outfit specifically caught my eye. I have learned about the KKK, but seeing the uniform and burnt cross in person frightened me beyond belief. The Institute helped me see the actual segregation and abuse going on back in the day. It made me very happy that that segregation was over. I do not enjoy sitting in a classroom and reading the same thing over and over and watching videos, so this trip was great for me. I would defiantly recommend this trip to anyone.
