Baylor Civil Rights Tour

Today we went to the National Civil Rights Musuem in Memphis, Tennessee! The tour proved to be far more than expected. We had the pleasure of taking on Mrs. Jolynn as our tour guide and pretty much awesomeness followed! Mrs. Jolynn guided us through the beginnings of slavery all the way through the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King Jr's unfortunate death. She was so jovial and committed to her job that she blew every single one of us away. I could not help but feel anger towards all of the segregationalists because the atrocities committed against fellow American citizens who happened to be black were unbareable to even hear about! As an African American college student I have always been proud of my history and been strengthen by the sheer thought of the courage of the people who stood up to injustice. In small group, I expressed how much sadness I felt when realizing that I sometimes forget just how much sacrifice was put into everyday rights of all of us. I cannot help but stretch my own experience to most other African American people who take the right to vote for granted, when in all actuality voting was the most detrimental injustice denied to African Americans. We broadened our problems with today's society to even the classrooms. In small group we reflected on how usually white teachers feel guilty and unfit to teach about Black Heritage and the Civil Rights Movement. This situation is dishearting because our through our schools, one of the most powerful forces during the fight against segregation, we are naturing our future doctors and lawyers to be ignorant to a great part of American History. If we never realize the mistakes of the past our society will not be granted the opportunity to transcend prejudices that hinder the movement toward a brighter future. Today..... was a good day!

Joe Guillory