Ashley's Reflection

As the time got closer to leaving for Memphis, I almost ran through all of the things I needed to complete and skipped the trip. If I would have done that, it would have been a big regret I would have never been able to get rid of. What I learned from this trip was literally something I will take with me for the rest of my life and truly gave a greater appreciation for what has occurred in our history. Upon taking this trip, I had heard about the civil rights marches, I had heard about Dr. King and what he had done, but to be honest, I didn't understand why Kansas City would take and change a street to be named after a man that I didn't feel had anything to do with Kansas Cities heritage. When we arrived to the Mason Temple, and got to see the "I AM MAN", and walk through the timeline, I felt terrible for people I didn't even know, people who were just trying to make it for themselves and their family. We then drove through Memphis with our amazing tour guide, who I'll talk about in a moment, and got to see, where they would parade these poor individuals as property, where they were only allowed to be. To think that, if that was still enforced or if I had survived in that time, I would have never made the friends I have, I wouldn't even be able to be near them! When we arrived at slave haven, to see where the slaves would have had to crawl in to hide in the home until it was safe and then crawl back out literally sent chills up my spine, to be able to hide in that basement like they would have had, I couldn't have even fathomed, especially since hearing any footsteps and not knowing if they were friendly or the home being raided made me nervous!

I have attended many tours of historical places in my time, but I have never had a tour guide who was apart of history. It to me, made the tour what it was, Elaine didn't speak to us as an individual who was reading a script, she spoke from her heart. She gave us her experiences, and she said it like it was no big deal because as she put it. "She had to". She was an amazing woman and anyone who can go take her tour I would highly recommend doing so.

We did get to experience soul food and Memphis BBQ, but what changed my whole perspective on everything was going to the Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. When you arrive you get to see the balcony and replica cars that were Dr. Kings and collogues, but that isn't where it will hit you. As you go through, seeing the KKK uniform, reading the words, stepping onto the bus and getting yelled at (which may I add, I felt like I was in trouble, I would have moved, but Rosa didn't HOW POWERFUL) to then going to see inside the room that was Dr. King's and looking out to see where he lay. That hit me directly in the heart. I could not imagine being there, I could not imagine the ugliness that our country was. For what? Because Dr. King was opening our eyes to problems in our nation. When we got to see out the building where the shot was taken, to see the "I AM CHILD", as a mother hurt. I could not imagine my children growing up in that form of society and it makes me worry, will be take steps back to this? I sure hope not, but without this experience I don't believe I would have ever been able to see that and appreciate our world today.

Thank you for funding this trip.

Ashley Hutson