United States of America
American South History & Civil Rights
About the Program
Explore the rich history of the American South by tracing the footsteps of the Civil Rights Movement. This program takes students to key historical sites and landmarks, offering firsthand insights into the struggles and triumphs of the fight for equality. Through interactive experiences and meaningful discussions, students gain a deeper understanding of social justice and the ongoing effort for civil rights in America.
Itinerary
Discover the exciting adventures and impactful moments that await each day on this itinerary!
- Arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, then transfer to Montgomery
- See where Rosa Parks initially caught the bus and walk down the street to where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. served as a pastor for many years at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church
- Visit the Montgomery at the Civil Rights Memorial Center
- Check in to our hotel, gather for a group debrief and eat dinner
- Visit the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum, a deeply impactful and world-renowned museum that focuses on the history of enslaved Black people to mass incarceration – all on the site of former cotton warehouse
- Visit the Equal Justice Initiative’s landmark civil rights site, the National Memorial For Peace and Justice, the first national memorial to victims of lynching in the US
- Following a concentrated debrief, blow off some steam through bowling and dinner as a group
- Transfer to Selma
- Visit the Lowndes Interpretive Center, where we explore the the Voting Rights Movement, the “new South,” and the issues with a newfound culture for sharecropping.
- Hear firsthand accounts from volunteer guides at the Voting Rights Museum as they share memories of the struggle to gain the right to vote.
- Walk the historic Edmund Pettus bridge, the site of the attack on civil rights marchers during the first march for voting rights.
- Transfer to Birmingham
- Start our day at Kelly Ingram Park, an assembly point for sit-ins, boycotts, marches, and jailings designed to end segregation in Birmingham
- A short walk brings us to the 16th St. Baptist Church. Birmingham was the most segregated city in the United States and in the 1960s, this church became an epicenter for organization, resistance, and violence
- Lunch as a group in Birmingham
- Head to Bethel Baptist Church to meet with the Pastor. This local community organizer is knowledgable and dyanamic, and will speak to the group about the unique non-violent protest that grew out of his church in the 1950s
- Relax and integrate over board games at a local cafe
- Dinner and final group reflections
- Transfer to Atlanta
- Take part in a chai-making workshop at a local refugee-owned coffee business. Time for questions with our host
- If time allows, we visit the artsy and vibrant Cabbagetown District, and possibly the MLK Memorial Park
- Depart according to your flight schedule
- Note: this itinerary can be extended to 6 days upon request
Educational Focus & Highlights
Walk Through History
Explore pivotal sites like the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. These visits give students firsthand insight into the struggles and triumphs of the civil rights movement.
Conversations That Matter
Engage with local residents to learn how civil rights issues still shape their communities. These powerful discussions allow students to connect historical lessons to the present-day fight for equity.
Looking Inward
Students take time to reflect on their experiences and what they’ve learned throughout the journey. This introspection helps foster personal growth and a deeper commitment to advocating for justice and equality.
Gallery
Lodging
Participants
Participants stay in comfortable, dorm-style rooms that typically accommodate 4-6 students per room. These accommodations are carefully selected and re typically hotels or lodges. Each location is selected to have private meeting spaces for group activities, ensuring both a supportive and appropriate environment for our programs.
Chaperones
Chaperones can expect to stay in private rooms, unless otherwise noted by the Global Works operations team. These rooms are located in the same facility as the student accommodations, allowing for a peaceful environment to relax and recharge without compromising proximity to the group. During homestays, chaperones typically have a choice to either stay with a homestay family or in a nearby hotel (location dependent).
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