One of the most important reminders of Memphis' difficult racial history is the Lorraine Motel, now transformed into the National Civil Rights Museum. The museum distills the last moments of Dr. King's life as he had heeded the call of duty in the South during the Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike. In it we bear witness to the history of struggle faced by hundreds of thousands of African Americans in the U.S. who fought--and in some cases, died--for the cause of human rights.
As we visit the NCRM, think about the ways the site brings us in touch with the past, through sight, touch, sound, and emotion. What exhibits impact you the most and why? Are there some that are difficult to confront? And finally, has the growth and success of the museum helped to remind us of those who fought in the Civil Rights struggles of the past? Has it made us more aware of history? Do we take it for granted?
The Greyhoung bus set on fire was the most impactful exhibit to me. The real life scene whisks you away to the historical event in a passionate manner. This scene was difficult for me to read about because it was so realistic, as if I was living in the moment. Because of this, the bus set on fire by evil men seemed like a personal attack. I felt scared, then angered, then sympathetic all within a few seconds. The Rosa Park bus as well as the rest of the exhibits took me to a place I had never been with history I had never heard. The whole experience was very eye-opening and I wish I had been able to stay longer. I love that the museum is updated with Black Panther and President Barack Obama. My second favorite exhibit was a touch screen table, towards the end of the tour. You could select a topic then a question to be addressed by famous black activists throughout history. I could spend a few hours at this informative smart table alone. I am definitely now more aware of history, and I feel as if I can understand Memphis a bit better now and am excited to finish my project!
ReplyDeleteThis is my third time to the National Civil rights museum, first time with my family and second with my mother and was excited to see the new exhibits. I like the sensory approach that is new including the first hand riot accounts of LA through media, which took me back in time. My first set of emotions were encountered in the second room where there's a metal display of how slaves were chained and shipped to America. It made me angry and sad since I've visited the Ivory Coast, Africa and seeing this made it personal for me. Thinking about my friends grandparents being kidnapped, many who have kingly heritage, the music, robes and gold tork made it feel like it was just yesterday. The first encounter of overwhelming emotion was the KKK outfit that my five year old asked what that was and I couldn't even speak. The harsh reality is too great an evil to give it words. I heard other children as their mother as well who were black and I could tell she had the same reaction. The second hardest part for me in which I couldn't stop to read because it would overcome me was the wall dedicated to the children who were murdered by a bomb while in Sunday School. I had my five year old with me and it was too much to bear, the grief is overwhelming. I was encouraged by the grit and determination of the Freedom Riders, they engaged even though it was life threatening with over 400 Freedom rides. The second most difficult part in the civil rights museum that opened my eyes was the Brown vs. Board of Education movie. I've heard many times about this ruling but didn't realize that Thurgood and actually brought together five cases to create Brown vs. Education. As a formal paralegal student I appreciated their genius to start with small precedents in law cases so that when Brown vs. Education came around they were legally prepared to present a compelling case. Using psychological tests such as the black, white doll preference really shocked and then angered me. It was indicative of the times when white, blonde and blue eye are portrayed as beautiful and successful, while make brown all the way around ugly, stupid and degenerate.
ReplyDeleteThe last hardest part of the tour was Dr. Martin Luther King's last moments played out a man the world was not worthy of having. He has a pillow fight with his brother, he called his parents and was getting ready to have dinner at a friends house...all things we do daily. In a moment he was murdered at 39, so young a man called to a higher purpose than to live for himself. His ideas of non-violent activism, his creed to walk by the Spirit of Christ to lead by example made me feel unworthy to be in his room. In his brief case I saw that he had a book called Strength to Love, which only Christ can give to overcome as they did and we need to for today. I loved the plaque that they displayed outside stating the he was the founding president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference..."They said to one another, behold here cometh the dreamer-let us slay him and we shall see what will become of his dreams" Genesis 37:19-20. Dr. Martin Luther King was a seed which died but produced much fruit, may we walk in his footsteps. Being here was a great reminder of history that all schools should make as a field trip so that we don't repeat history or dismiss it.
The ten minute wait in line to purchase a ticket, gave me the opportunity to read all the interesting history along the walls. The beautifully pictured walls told of both tragedies and triumphs of enslaved and mistreated black people. I purchased my ticket and proceeded to walk into the theater when a wall caught my eye. I always see something different each time I visit the National Civil Right Museum. This time the wall that catches my attention reads: The Los Angeles Uprising 1992. This picture is truly worth a thousand words. It is a silhouette of a man with his head in his hands, standing in the middle of destruction and rubble left behind. I study the picture, I see devastation, despair, disbelief, disappointment and defeat, but I also see determination and dedication as well, all in this man's posture. It is beautiful. This picture was the work of the Pulitzer Prize Winning Photographer: Jose Galvez. I stand a few minutes more before going into the room explaining the picture. I learn the picture was an introduction to the six-day destruction of Los Angeles. The riots of 1992, were due to the acquittal of four officers who had beaten African American taxi driver Rodney King. March 3, 1991, Mr. King was beaten by four white police officers: Theodore Briseno, Stacey Koon, Laurence Powell and Timothy Wind. The beating was recorded by George Holliday om March 3, 1991. The officers were laughing and cajoling after acquittal. This angered black residents and thus riots started in retaliation. It was sad and hurt the residents more than anyone else. They destroyed their own neighborhood and stores. The sentence of Powell and Koon to two and a half years in August of 1994 came to little and too late. The next picture that brought me to tears was the picture of Medgar Evers wife and son on the cover of Life Magazine. He is crying inconsolably, and she is trying to hold and comfort him as some grief-stricken onlookers watch. Medgar Evers was killed in his driveway. His killer Byron De La Beckwith was tried twice in 1964, however he wasn't convicted of Mr. Evers murder until February 4, 1994.The speech "I Have a Dream", by Dr. Martin Luther King always moves me. I have always thought it was his own personal eulogy. What a beautiful send off. I believe God allowed Dr. King that privilege. I have learned so much of my African American history from visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. I have taken my children and grandchildren many times. I always explain to them, that we all can make a change and a difference in this world. They enjoy the counter scene with the young people the most. It seems they work hard to make the experiences real and thought provoking. Kudos to NCRM. If any haven't been, I encourage to go.
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ReplyDeleteI have been to the Nation Civil Rights Museum countless times. I am so glad that we have it here in Memphis. It is an irrefutably significant reminder of our past. Being there is always an incredibly emotional experience for me. As a person of color, it is heartbreaking to see the lives my ancestors and other people of color had to lead for so long. It burns to know how many of their lives were lost because they were not seen as human beings. It's inspiring to see that they fought tirelessly at great cost for a better future for people like me even if they could reap none of the benefits of their sacrifice. These people were strong, resilient, fearless in the face of monsters. I am so proud to have a connection to them and so utterly broken that they were ever forced to be that way in the first place. To stop and think about the sheer number of people murdered, beaten, enslaved, starved, tortured, and raped simply because of the color of their skin truly amazes me. It's hard to fathom how humanity came to a point where they could justify these injustices over and over again. There were racist people so disgusted by the idea of blackness that they would murder a white person who saw a black person as a human. How could this have happened? How can this still be happening? That is perhaps the most frightening part. This system of hatred is so deeply rooted to our society that this is still an issue. Not to the same degree in most cases, but regardless it is still baffling. I recently read an article about a white man who traveled to New York City for the sole purpose of finding black people to kill. He killed one African American man and the majority of the articles published about the case were geared towards the criminal history of the victim rather than the murder.
This museum is so important, because it does keep us aware of our history and the startling ways that dark past still haunts us today. Seeing all the hurt and torment black people had to face before makes me wonder what happened to the people like me. The ones who were not brace enough to go out into the world and fight. I cannot imagine that I would have ever had the courage to March knowing that dog attacks, hoses, beatings, and imprisonment awaited me. I have my words. I am never afraid to speak about injustices and share them in the hopes that I can become more educated and help educate others as to what is going on. To actually take action is another story and I'm not sure I have it in me. What role did people like me play in a time where the only option was to be oppressed or to resist? What is their place in history? I try to think about that often. I try to remind myself that although there was no shame in them being prisoner to their fears (they lived a terrifying reality), they likely died anyway. It didn't take much for a person of color to be killed, beaten, tortured in that time. Even those who chose not to resist were subject to all the same harsh treatments just for existing in the world. Whether they chose to fight or not, they were always being fought against. When I think about it that way, it seems that the logical choice is to fight if there is any chance that it can make a difference. The juxtaposition between the current state of our nation and the scenes depicted in the National Civil Rights Museum prove that it absolutely made a difference. This museum is a source of strength for me and for our community, our city. I hope that someday I will find the courage to fight, to resist, to draw strength from those who came before me. Until then I will keep reminding myself of the greatness of those race men and women by remembering them and resisting the proof of the legacy they left behind.
Visiting the National Civil Rights Museum is always a wonderful experience every time I go. I always learn something new by reading or paying closer attention two different things. The exhibit where the students were sitting down at the diner counter was the most impacting exhibit for me this time. To see them train for the neglect they went through is amazing to me. They were self motivated enough to remain calm and not exhibit any violence back towards anyone. The thought of someone telling me they wouldn't want me in a restaurant, throw food on me, and physically and emotionally break me down. This exhibit was difficult to think about because of the disrespect they went through, but they did it for a better future for the colored community. It is something no one should take for granted because now we can sit where we want to eat. A lot of people take it for granted that a lot of things would not have been the way they are today if people didn't step up and take these roles in the Civil Rights struggle. I think it is very important that the African American community understand some of the situations that happened and put theirselves in those who fought shoes. This was not easy work. The stuff they did required actual training and a mind that could not be raddled. If people would respect and appreciate the things African Americans did so we can have better rights I believe a lot of mess would not occur within our culture. This trek made me realize how important it is we all should stand together to make Memphis a better place.
ReplyDeleteI have attended the National Civil Rights museum a handful of times. And it devastating to think that this organization or museum almost closed, due to not having enough attention or money. To imagine today’s society without a dedicated area for an important human rights movement that has allowed all colors to have the same rights. I also believe that Memphis was the perfect location in the south for this memorial and important piece of history, because Memphis has encountered several obstacles along the way and was a relatively a quiet city during his movement until the death of Martin Luther King. Every time I have toured this museum I always find something that I have never known about or in depth details on the event. This time the sanitation strike in Memphis caught my attention, because it was the event that brought Martin Luther King here to lead a march. In this exhibit it talks about two man that I had never heard of, Reverend James Lawson and T.O. Jones. These two men were the leaders in Memphis sanitation strike who courageously fought for equal rights for blacks, but I think these men often go unheard of because of the presence of Martin Luther King giving the Mountain Top speech that was the evening before his death. The exhibit that is so hard for me to confront was the rooms that Dr. King spent his last few hours in. Reason for this, is because that Dr. King never showed any violence towards anyone and simply wanted equal rights for all colors by protesting peacefully. And with the growth of this museum will give future generations an impactful piece of history that they can look back on to know the courage and the dedication this people had to make all peoples life’s better. And when I look in today’s society and see all the hate going on it America, especially between police and the community, its heart wrenching because these are the people that protect the people of a community. But over the past few years the violence rate between police and young man have increased, because there has been several incidents of officers killing young males. In response to this, people have taken violence to the streets by vandalizing personal property. Which is definitely not the way people need to do to address this issue between the police and community. Overall I am very thankful that this people stood up for the rights for all colors and woman to have equal rights. I am also very thankful that a group people chose to make a memorial for what several people did to make this country into what it is.
ReplyDeleteI got the chance to go to the Civil Rights Museum Thursday morning. I have been to the Civil Rights Museum several times and each time I seem to learn something new. I knew all about segregation and how blacks and whites had different restaurants, tables, water fountains, restrooms, churches, and the list just continues. I'm not sure why, but sports never came to mind when I thought about segregation. So when I read about the Memphis Red Soxs, it was really interesting. This team was of course created during the time of segregation. It was created by the African American community as a response to the segregation that was going on. I also thought it was cool that this team started of as an independent team, but soon became a part of the Negro American League. I think one of my favorite parts of the museum is all the interactive things throughout the whole place. I got to listen to some African Americans discuss their life and all the heartache they went through. The one person that stuck out to me the most was Fannie Lou Hamer. She stood out to me because she kind of reminded me of Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks. Fannie stood up for what she believed and this is what Martin and Rosa did. I listened to her speech about the "conscientiousness of America." She was discussing how blacks were prevented to vote and how she thought it was wrong. She talked about how when she first went to register to fight, she couldn't because she failed the literacy test. Then on her way home from trying to register; her bus got pulled over because her bus driver had allowed them one the bus. This is when her and several other African Americans had to walk home. This set back didn't stop her. She kept fighting for what she believed in and eventually got it. I just found her story very inspiring because it was refreshing to her. A lot of people know about Mr. King and Mrs. Parks, and their stories are inspiring, but to hear a story you've never heard gives people a new type of fighting spirit and that's what it gave me. I also took some type to go to the legacy building across the street and it was very cool. I love looking at the Freedom awards wall. This award is basically for people who live a life that represents the spirit and the ideals of the civil rights movement.Most of the people who got the award had sought to overcome injustice and intolerance. I just love it because I actually recognized some of the people on the wall. There was Bill Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Coretta Scott, and B.B. King just to name a few. overall, it was a great trip. The cool thing about this museum is that you can always learn about something new because there's so much information packed into this museum.
ReplyDeleteThis was actually my first time visiting the National Civil Rights Museum. It is rather unfortunate that I have not been able to attend before. I was unable to stay as long as I would have because of parking, but I plan on going back during this semester when I get the chance. I thoroughly enjoyed the Museum. It was very interesting and informational. I liked how the exhibits were in order of what happened in history. When you walk into the first exhibit, the first thing you see are a bunch of televisions sitting on top of each other with a recorded news reporting explaining what happened during the Los Angeles riots during the 1990's. Then, you see and hear what the African Americans endured during slavery while coming to America. I think that really moved me the most during my visit. I felt a deep sense of compassion for all those who struggled so much. I wish I could have done something to help all of them. The next exhibit I saw was in the theatre. That made a big impact on me as well. The other exhibit that caught my attention were the busses, and what Civil Rights leaders went through trying to fight for their freedom. I ended up buying a shirt, and would have loved to buy more things if I had the money. I would absolutely love to return to the National Civil Rights Museum and take a tour throughout the entire museum. I read on another's post about how it was almost closed down. That is very hard for me to believe based not only on how many visitors and the press I saw there, but because of the astonishing rich history the museum has to offer for everyone, regardless of their background, income, race, or personal history. I believe everybody should visit this museum if they haven't already.
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ReplyDeleteI liked Howling Wolf, back in the day. My favorite song of his was "Spoonful". I still enjoy that song today! I thoroughly enjoyed this trek! I had an opportunity to interview our Tour Guide! I didn't know he was, at the time. I had assumed he was an up-and-coming musician, playing his harmonica for tips. He played his harmonica for me during the interview and played a very moving rendition of "Amazing Grace". He said he had been playing a harmonica for many years. He explained that in the last three years he had gotten serious about playing his harmonica. He shared with me that Kevin Bacon was the most, recent, famous person to visit Sun Studious.
The forty-five minutes’ wait was not long enough for me to view all the pictures and articles on the various walls of the waiting area/eating area/ticket area. I had the opportunity to see Elvis and a young B.B. King in a photo together! There was a picture of Elvis Presley and his parents, when he was just a toddler. Jason, our Tour Guide, has the right personality for Sun Studios. He was informative, yet witty. He really changed my concept of thinking concerning "Tours". I normally think of them as boring, uneventful, lack of excitement task to complete. This was a wonderfully refreshing tour. Jason encouraged us to sing along with the songs we knew and he sang and danced with us. This was more of an informative, interesting and fun Party!
I got a chance to hear Dewey Phillips (a famous and well-known D.J.) introduce and play Elvis ‘s song ” Hound Dog ”. It was an instant hit!
Jason shared an interesting story about the Prisonaires, they were real prisoners, who were freed by then governor to sing! there hit "Just Walking in The Rain" sounded pretty good. The governor loved them so well ,that after road tours were over,he made them his personal band.Jason told us Dewey was no relation to Mr. Sam Phillips, same last names were merely a coincidence. We could view Elvis Presley’s original Graduation Diploma, from Humes High School. Elvis’s school yearbook was also displayed. The WHBQ original equipment for broadcasting was on display. The wonderful technology changes, not only in music, but radio and television are beyond words. However, it was good to hear Mr. Phillips started with meager equipment, yet he created famous artist! Jason shocked us by stating Mr. Phillips sold Elvis Presley's contract to the RCA label for $30,000. The highest paid for any singer during this time.Mr. Phillips did this because, he was about to lose Sun Studios and in an effort to save it and help future artist, he thought it a good move for all. It gave me a sad and disappointed feeling momentarily. I cant help loving you begin to play and all negative feelings seem to immediately dissipate. My most fondest memory is being allowed to use the same, old, famous microphone that Elvis, Johnny, Carl, Jerry Lee. Howling Wolf, BB and other famous singers had used at Sun Studios. There was a picture of Elvis in one of his famous singing poses, including the sexy snarl of his lips.. Jason encouraged all of us who dared to use the mic and lip sync , sexy snarl and all to "Cant Help Falling in Love". I was the first to volunteer. I couldn't get the snarl right, but I sure had fun trying!
This was my first time visiting the National Civil Rights Museum, and boy was it an experience. The museum doesn't wait for you to go inside for its "museum-y" stuff to start. To begin with, the entire locale IS historical, as MLK as killed in the Lorraine Motel. From the entrance, the exhibit starts, as you see cars and the outsde of the motel, and then inside you have The Mural of Struggle. I also appreciate how they had that little subsection about the LA riots before the tour began. I honestly expected the museum to only cover the 19th and 20th century, so I was honestly surprised when it covered the treatment of black people all the way from the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. While I felt that the lack of a guide and the overabundance of text at times made the experience somewhat suffocating (especially given the material that the text is talking about), it was still overall a great experience solely for its historical relevancy: many of the things the museum covers are still issues many people struggle with to this day. What was especially poignant for me was how the tour ends with the room where MLK was shot in, as if the entire tour led up, culminated in that one room. Yet, life goes on, and his memory, everyone's struggle, they carry on.
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