Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Before I get into my travel stories, I'd like to share with you all the birth of my family's newest member - my Grand Niece Savannah Grace, born to my niece Avery and her boyfriend Hunter, on Tuesday October 2, 2018 at 7:44 am

Now on to my travels...

What you see in the two pictures below is part of an exhibit at The King Center in Atlanta, GA

As you look through the marchers, the window and across the street, you can hopefully see a grey block just above the hedges - the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King grave site:

Here's why I mention this exhibit - One of the greatest resources I've used during my travels is the U.S Civil Rights Trail website. This resource from the National Park Service, which officially launched on January 1, 2018, is full of history, images, videos, website links, addresses, etc. It has been incredibly valuable during my travels. There is, however, something intriguing about the site. If you look at the Interactive Map, you'll see civil rights related locations marked in what are mostly Southern U.S. states. However, before 2019, there were no locations in Florida marked on the map. Looking at it now, you can see 5 Florida locations - Panama City, St. Augustine, Mims, Vero Beach and Sarasota.  

Scroll back up to the first two exhibit pictures. What you see is a diverse group of civil rights marchers "walking through" several cities, including the Florida cities of St. Augustine and Jacksonville. There were also actions, such as lunch counter sit-ins and wade-ins, in Orlando, and other well known locations such as Greensboro, NC,

MLK's Birth Home and Surrounding Sites

Just a few block away from the King Center and MLK grave site, is the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

While I waited for the MLK house tour to begin, a nice lady walked up to me and politely said "Can I ask you a personal question?" I love moments like this because of the rush of uncertainty but also the opportunity it brings to be authentic and in the moment. She asked me why, as a white man, I thought it was important to visit Dr. King's birth home and to learn about Civil Rights history overall. I simply told her I was there because I need to know this history for my own personal growth and continuing education. I need to know this history from as many perspectives as I can get because I certainly never knew it from my perspective growing up as a white middle-class kid.
Her name is Greta B. Yates. Greta owns and runs Greta Be...Productions, "...an innovative multi-dimensional faith based company that strives to impact and change lives through dynamic and captivating live experiences of artistic excellence." We both had a sense of fate being involved in what others might call our serendipitous meeting. Greta appreciated my willingness to answer her questions. She told me she was thinking about asking other people, including a few white women, but hesitated based on how the question might be received. We were able to have a friendly and meaningful conversation on civil rights history and our country's current struggle with racial issues. I was also able to tell her about Daryl Davis's unique work, blending music and activism, something he presented for Valencia College's Peace Week in Fall 2018. I'm glad she asked me because it gave me yet another chance to reflect on why I'm doing all of this during my sabbatical.

View from the MLK house front porch, looking past a row of shotgun houses, to Downtown Atlanta

National Park Service sign near the row of Shotgun Houses on "Sweet" Auburn Street in Atlanta

Located on the same street is the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King, his Father and Grandfather all preached.

Some music from inside the Church

A Moment to Reflect...

As I walked back to my Airbnb rental in Atlanta, I noticed this mural of John Lewis, an icon of the Civil Rights movement who still serves in the U.S House of Representatives for the State of Georgia:

UPDATE: John Lewis passed on July 17, 2020. 

On one of the electric poles just in front of me, I also noticed a familiar sticker:

Rep. John Lewis has practiced non-violence for all of his adult life. The location of the Lewis mural and the Antifa sticker, across the street from one another, brings up, among other things, the issues of how people choose to enact change in our society and how to respond to far right groups. I've seen stickers for Antifa groups in a geographically wide area since 2011:

Japan in August 2018

Poland in 2011

Anyone who chooses to study the history or present realities of civil and human rights struggles will encounter the philosophies and methods of all kinds of groups/movements. My teaching career at Valencia College and participation in the Peace and Justice Institute, has taught me quite a lot about the philosophy, methods and leaders of peace. As much as possible, I use peace practices to inform my interactions with everyone I meet, especially during my recent travels through our Southern states and the ever present civil rights history. In light of our current national politics and continuing struggle for social justice, my hope is that people will take a stand for civil and human rights. In doing so, I hope people will also develop and include a daily peace practice - take time every day to nurture the better parts of our human nature - for example, compassion, patience, kindness, love and the capacity for healing.