As we have started each day of our trip, we began with breakfast and time for reflection. We discussed our experiences in family groups at the hotel. Questions we reflected on individually and together included…
- How did the experience of traveling to historically significant locations yesterday impact your understanding of the Civil Rights Movement?
- What did you learn about the ongoing legacy of slavery and racial injustice in the United States?
- What did you learn about the power of individuals and communities to create change?
- Were there moments that were particularly challenging or emotionally difficult? How did you process those moments?
- Were there moments of hope, inspiration, or empowerment?
Then, we settled in for a scenic 2.5 hour bus ride back to Atlanta. We spent time on the bus thinking on our experiences and enjoying some time to rest.
When we arrived in Atlanta, we headed to Paschal’s Restaurant. We have been looking forward to ending our trip by having a meal here!
Paschal’s was a frequent meeting spot during the Civil Rights Movement for Dr. King and civil rights leaders. The Paschal brothers, the founders of the restaurant, would often sit with preachers and politicians and discuss the Civil Rights Movement in the very same spot we enjoyed lunch.
Dr. King would frequently visit Paschal’s and loved the food. His family still visits often.
Students shared their favorite delicious lunch items including bread pudding, peach cobbler, oxtail, and fried chicken!
After lunch, it was time to prepare for our return to Charles River School. We headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to get ready to head home.
At the airport, we talked about our experiences from the day and reflected on the trip from beginning to end. Students looked at their “transformation journey” and wrote responses to reflections including:
- How did your expectations of the trip compare to the reality of what you experienced?
- What were the most important things you learned about the Civil Rights Movement during this trip?
- What did you learn about the ongoing legacy of slavery and racial injustice in the United States?
- What did you learn about the power of individuals and communities to create change?
They considered their personal growth:
- How has this trip impacted your understanding of yourself and your role in the world?
And the connection of the trip to their life:
- How will you share with others what you learned? How do you plan to apply the lessons from this trip to your life when we return home?
How will you take Barbara Barge’s words to heart and action? How will you be a history maker?