Spoke 'n Revolutions Youth Cycling UGRR Tour 2011 ~ Visit the nation's National Parks.
Let's Move Outside!
Showing posts with label Marshall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marshall. Show all posts
Saturday, July 16, 2011
July 3 - Marshall - Covington, KY
The eve of July 4th. This was the first time in the entire trip where we stayed in a hotel. To be more specific it was the Embassy Suites, located across the bridge from Cincinnati, OH. Suepinda and Kevin gave us each $20 and pretty much said get out and explore the city, be back by 11. And naturally, we went out to find some Chinese food. Unfortunately, today was Sunday and all the local shops were closed down.
After separating from the rest of the the group me and Ibn stayed in Covington and walked around for hours trying to find someplace to eat. Around 9 pm, out of desperation, we finally walked across the bridge into the city. To my amazement we were greeted by Iron Man 2 playing on a big screen in the town square, and more restaurants than I wanted to choose from. Coincidentally, we found the rest of the group in the first place we entered and after eating we went out to the square to watch fireworks. It was great to have the freedom to walk around the city and do what you wanted, such as Kyvon dance-battling little kids and a homeless man. It's a type of freedom we don't have while on the bike and I can speak for the group when I say that this was a bonding experience, which brought us all closer.
Friday, July 15, 2011
June 29 - Marshall - Corydon, IN
Monday, July 11, 2011
June 18 Marshall Lewis Its been a long couple days...
June 18 Marshall Lewis Alabama
Its been a long couple days, as you can probably tell by my lack of blogging lately. So I'm going to give you a brief summary of the last 3 days. After our stay with the Quaker family in northern Alabama we began to travel to certain historical landmarks in Montgomery and Birmingham. Soaking in the cultural significance of such sites as the 16th street Baptist Church, home of infamous church bombings of 1963, which claimed the life's of four young girls and sparked rebellious conflicts that's helped fuel the Civil Rights movement.
In Montgomery we visited the state capital, which over looked the Civil Rights memorial with the inscription: "Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream" -MLK. This quote symbolizes how the injustices of the world should be over run by the natural flow of justice; however, I could not help but witness the irony of our surrounding as I learned that the same capital which over looked the memorial was built by the same people who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad system.
I experienced the same ironic feeling yesterday when SNR visited Selma, the home of the 3 marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge; home of Bloody Sunday. For all of those whom aren't familiar with the meaning of the marches, as I was days ago, then I'll inform you that the marches were non-violent protests against poll taxes and the other injustices that prevented African Americans from casting their ballots. Bloody Sunday was when the local police unleashed a variety of "crowd control" tactics against the protested. Many people lost their lives to the onslaught of tear gas, police brutality, and attack dogs. Yet as I walked through Selma I could not help but notice how the current city seemingly failed the expectations that their predecessors had fought for. We met wonderful and generous people in Selma. By no means am I trying to disrespect the city. Yet at the same time certain aspects of the city stood out to me: such as the 50% drop out rate among our African American peers, or the fact that our hosts whom were lifelong residents didn't feel safe traveling to a gas station alone at night. In fact after Selma began to break the boundaries of racism and injustice, the white population relocated.
So far on this trip I have noticed how our present racial conditions seem to have come out differently then what our forefathers fought for. People have come to forget just how lucky they are to have the freedoms they have today. At a certain point in time (not too long ago) simply getting a drink of water could lead to a body hanging in the trees. Maybe it seems that I am over exaggerating the issue but it's just one reoccurring theme that I've started to observe throughout this trip.
-June 18, 10:31 pm
Sent from my iPhone
Its been a long couple days, as you can probably tell by my lack of blogging lately. So I'm going to give you a brief summary of the last 3 days. After our stay with the Quaker family in northern Alabama we began to travel to certain historical landmarks in Montgomery and Birmingham. Soaking in the cultural significance of such sites as the 16th street Baptist Church, home of infamous church bombings of 1963, which claimed the life's of four young girls and sparked rebellious conflicts that's helped fuel the Civil Rights movement.
In Montgomery we visited the state capital, which over looked the Civil Rights memorial with the inscription: "Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream" -MLK. This quote symbolizes how the injustices of the world should be over run by the natural flow of justice; however, I could not help but witness the irony of our surrounding as I learned that the same capital which over looked the memorial was built by the same people who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad system.
I experienced the same ironic feeling yesterday when SNR visited Selma, the home of the 3 marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge; home of Bloody Sunday. For all of those whom aren't familiar with the meaning of the marches, as I was days ago, then I'll inform you that the marches were non-violent protests against poll taxes and the other injustices that prevented African Americans from casting their ballots. Bloody Sunday was when the local police unleashed a variety of "crowd control" tactics against the protested. Many people lost their lives to the onslaught of tear gas, police brutality, and attack dogs. Yet as I walked through Selma I could not help but notice how the current city seemingly failed the expectations that their predecessors had fought for. We met wonderful and generous people in Selma. By no means am I trying to disrespect the city. Yet at the same time certain aspects of the city stood out to me: such as the 50% drop out rate among our African American peers, or the fact that our hosts whom were lifelong residents didn't feel safe traveling to a gas station alone at night. In fact after Selma began to break the boundaries of racism and injustice, the white population relocated.
So far on this trip I have noticed how our present racial conditions seem to have come out differently then what our forefathers fought for. People have come to forget just how lucky they are to have the freedoms they have today. At a certain point in time (not too long ago) simply getting a drink of water could lead to a body hanging in the trees. Maybe it seems that I am over exaggerating the issue but it's just one reoccurring theme that I've started to observe throughout this trip.
-June 18, 10:31 pm
Sent from my iPhone
Friday, July 8, 2011
June 18-20 Marshall Lewis
Saturday, June 18
After we left Gainsville the group continued onward to a town called Aliceville, where we were scheduled to stay in a National Guard Armory. Unfortunately, our guide never showed up to open the facility. But once again our lucky streak (or I should say, Suepinda's lucky streak) continued as local Paster, Charlie Wilson, both opened up his home as well as his wallet as he provided us a place to sleep and bought us dinner from a local dive (actually, a nice local restaurant). His hospitality is greatly appreciated and I thank him for his support. It is because if people like him that allowed for the slaves to successfully reach freedom, as well as SNR being able to complete our journey.
Sunday, June 19 ~ Pickensville, Al
On this morning we made our first "official" underground railroad stop: meaning that this was the first town in which it's history was engraved with slavery. The local church was run by conductors, people who gave escapees shelter. The church had 10 hidden rooms where they hid slaves from the eyes of southern catchers. When we toured the town the mayor expressed how even though the town's population has decreased since it's conductor days, they are still striving to educate the population on the harsh conditions of the fleeing africans. In fact, both the mayor and commissioner are planning to open an underground railroad museum, thus creating the first underground railroad museum in all of Alabama. Crazy right? Its amazing that in 2011 southern states still haven't begun to set up landmarks and museums for the underground railroad. It just goes to show you how there is still a lot of work to do to give people a broader understanding the journey that many enslaved persons had to take to obtain freedom. That night we stayed with local Quakers John and Andrea: with their children, Nicholas, Bea, and Olivia. On the farm they taught us how to milk goats and ride horses. It was one of those nights where we could relax and enjoy ourselves after a long day; one that I think we really needed.
Monday, June 20 ~ Brice's Crossroads
Today SNR embarked on it's first history lesson on the use of colored troops in the civil war. The group visited Brice's Crossroads, where Union and Confederate troops collided in a battle which ended up in the retreat of the Union forces. In the fray the army commanded the US colored troops to send cover fire at the advancing southerners in an effort to cover their retreat. Amazingly, in a mission that was meant to be one of a human shield, the US Colored Troops laid down some of the most devastating fire in all of the civil war and successfully halted the southern troop advancement enough to allow many of the 8000 Union soldiers to retreat. This was just one example of how African Americans began to earn respect for their actions and began to become recognized as equal (or inching closer to that reality), and I believe that we must all honor those who died fighting in this struggle.
Sent from my iPhone
After we left Gainsville the group continued onward to a town called Aliceville, where we were scheduled to stay in a National Guard Armory. Unfortunately, our guide never showed up to open the facility. But once again our lucky streak (or I should say, Suepinda's lucky streak) continued as local Paster, Charlie Wilson, both opened up his home as well as his wallet as he provided us a place to sleep and bought us dinner from a local dive (actually, a nice local restaurant). His hospitality is greatly appreciated and I thank him for his support. It is because if people like him that allowed for the slaves to successfully reach freedom, as well as SNR being able to complete our journey.
Sunday, June 19 ~ Pickensville, Al
On this morning we made our first "official" underground railroad stop: meaning that this was the first town in which it's history was engraved with slavery. The local church was run by conductors, people who gave escapees shelter. The church had 10 hidden rooms where they hid slaves from the eyes of southern catchers. When we toured the town the mayor expressed how even though the town's population has decreased since it's conductor days, they are still striving to educate the population on the harsh conditions of the fleeing africans. In fact, both the mayor and commissioner are planning to open an underground railroad museum, thus creating the first underground railroad museum in all of Alabama. Crazy right? Its amazing that in 2011 southern states still haven't begun to set up landmarks and museums for the underground railroad. It just goes to show you how there is still a lot of work to do to give people a broader understanding the journey that many enslaved persons had to take to obtain freedom. That night we stayed with local Quakers John and Andrea: with their children, Nicholas, Bea, and Olivia. On the farm they taught us how to milk goats and ride horses. It was one of those nights where we could relax and enjoy ourselves after a long day; one that I think we really needed.
Monday, June 20 ~ Brice's Crossroads
Today SNR embarked on it's first history lesson on the use of colored troops in the civil war. The group visited Brice's Crossroads, where Union and Confederate troops collided in a battle which ended up in the retreat of the Union forces. In the fray the army commanded the US colored troops to send cover fire at the advancing southerners in an effort to cover their retreat. Amazingly, in a mission that was meant to be one of a human shield, the US Colored Troops laid down some of the most devastating fire in all of the civil war and successfully halted the southern troop advancement enough to allow many of the 8000 Union soldiers to retreat. This was just one example of how African Americans began to earn respect for their actions and began to become recognized as equal (or inching closer to that reality), and I believe that we must all honor those who died fighting in this struggle.
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, July 7, 2011
June 18 Cycling Update ~ Marshall
I last left off talking a about the irony of salem's current community, after that day we visited the little town of Gainesville, Alabama. This was probably one of my favorite days of the trip so far. We had an average morning, a 5:30 wakeup and on our bikes by 6. Everything was normal. Mr. Brogden ( our ECHH history teacher) was pushing the lead and somehow smoking the rest of the group with his constant revolutions, with Kevin Hicks (co founder of SNR) staying in the back, constantly yelling "stay in line!"
However, our day took a turn for the awesome when we arrived at town hall to the sound of a large welcoming crowd and a band playing "When The Saints Come Marching In". We immediately discovered that the town had anticipated out arrival and organized a welcoming party, hosted by the mayor and a group of college students called N.A.P.S. (National Association for the Prevention of Starvation) who took a year off to do service work in the town to prepare it for their first town doctor in many years. The town and put together a program in our favor and treated us to a horse drawn carriage tour ride throughout the town, as well as play performed by the college organization (NAPS). The play went through the history of slavery, portraying a man who was captured from Africa and following his journey until he eventually "wades in the water" and "follows the drinking gourd" to his perpetual freedom in the north. Leaving the town was both a happy and sad moment. Happy because we were a to enjoy ourselves and feel like celebrities I'm a sense, but also sad because we had to leave those people by which held so much faith in us.
Sent from my iPhone
However, our day took a turn for the awesome when we arrived at town hall to the sound of a large welcoming crowd and a band playing "When The Saints Come Marching In". We immediately discovered that the town had anticipated out arrival and organized a welcoming party, hosted by the mayor and a group of college students called N.A.P.S. (National Association for the Prevention of Starvation) who took a year off to do service work in the town to prepare it for their first town doctor in many years. The town and put together a program in our favor and treated us to a horse drawn carriage tour ride throughout the town, as well as play performed by the college organization (NAPS). The play went through the history of slavery, portraying a man who was captured from Africa and following his journey until he eventually "wades in the water" and "follows the drinking gourd" to his perpetual freedom in the north. Leaving the town was both a happy and sad moment. Happy because we were a to enjoy ourselves and feel like celebrities I'm a sense, but also sad because we had to leave those people by which held so much faith in us.
Sent from my iPhone
June 24 ~ Marshall
June 24
Tonight SNR camped out at the Piney campgrounds in Tennessee. Even though we had camped out before, this was the first time where we were surrounded by other teens and had the opportunity to swim and play basketball. This was also the first and only night where we started a campfire. Throughout this trip this was SNR's first"real" camping experience, and by real I mean hot dogs, s'mores and the whole 9. We explored the grounds for all their worth, ate more hotdogs, roasted more s'mores; hooped it up on the court, and ended the night with all of the boys sprinting into the lake. Shout out to Mahlique to being the first one to dive in. It was really one of those nights where we could unwind and enjoy ourselves.
However, our happy go lucky façade was broken when we were encountered by two little girls while exiting the lake. For the first time on this tour we were greeted by the same word by which many of our parents and grandparents have been subjected to: the "N" word. These two little girls, born and raised in Tennessee, were not a day older than 8. In fact, the exact quote from one of them was "I'm seven and a half now, shut your f-ing mouth." This was one of those situations where we are reminded of why we are embarking on this journey, not to bike across the country, but to understand the hardships of the enslaved people running towards freedom. When we are use to a certain type of people, such as the many privileged and open hearted and sometimes open minded people in my town Chapel Hill, NC, we often forget that not everyone feels, believes or even shares the same point of view. It is this reality and false sense of security which damages our ability to perceive the upbringings of others. In this instance I realize that these two little girls are not necessarily bad people. In a sense they are no different from me. They are how there were raised. There parents have instilled racism into there bones just as mine have made sure that I am never judging one by their outward appearance or their interpersonal beliefs. It is simply by the luck of the draw that I was on that side of the line. In conclusion this experience was an easy reminder that we cannot forget that there still are dangers on our route and that not every was raised by the same morals.
Sent from my iPhone
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