Day 14

Good Friday! Good Friday and that it was. The sunny day inspired me to get an early start. Despite the hot temperatures my initial walk through the Kelly Ingram Park was so reflective yet refreshing. For those not familiar, this park is located where many gathered for civil rights rallies and marches during the 1960’s. It was in this location that police used attack dogs and firemen used high powered water hoses to detour the crowd. Will Jones, joined me for his first time to witness the gruesome and heart-wrenching images.

Soon after, we met with current pastor, Arthur Price, of the famous Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. In 1963, four little girls died after the church was bombed. Sixteenth Street Church was known for holding desegregation rallies. Mary Jo Morton, Berea College alumna, joined us along with Jeff Blake whose daughter graduated from Berea in 1998 for the entire day. Pastor Price graciously accepted a Proclamation of Friendship on behalf of the church. He also led us on a tour of the sanctuary where we witnessed beautiful young ladies worshiping God through liturgical dancing. Then to the downstairs where a small museum is set up in honor of Denise McNair, Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, and Cynthia Wesley, the bomb victims.

Will, Jeff, Mary Jo and I walked over to the Civil Rights Museum where we met another great alum, Carl Thomas. A 2004 BC graduate, LaQuita Middleton Singleton, accepted a Proclamation of Thanks on behalf of the Civil Rights Institute Museum. Berea’s latest history book will be archived here. WOW!! That’s great! This book demonstrates Berea’s connection to the civil rights movement.

Oh I can’t forget to tell you that we did take time to attend Noon Day service at local churches to celebrate Good Friday.

Signing off from Birmingham
~Sonja~