Selma and the Civil Rights Trail

Honestly, you cannot, as least I can't, visit these Civil Rights venues without shedding a tear over the cruel treatment of blacks by whites and by those in power at the time.

As I travel around to the various historic sites, I am ashamed, and embarrassed, by things humans have done to other humans - Native Americans, Afro-Americans, soldiers .... it makes me even more aware how important it is to be kind to one another.

I drove the route (Hwy 80) that the march took from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.  The distance is 54 miles; they took 4 days to finish the walk.  You can visit the fields where the marchers slept each evening.

The National Park Service Interpretive Center, located in White Hall, twenty miles east of Selma and is the midpoint of the National Historic Voting Rights Trail.


It was the location of Tent City - established as a temporary home for the evicted family of tenant farmers attempting to register and vote.  Tent City lasted over 2 years.  KKK members would drive by on the highway and shoot rifles into the tents.


 


The Center has a very powerful museum (along with a 20 minute film) regarding the march.

You can drive or walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, one of the most recognized symbols of the Civil Rights Movement.  March 7, 1965 is known as "Bloody Sunday."  600 marchers were attacked, by mounted deputies and state troupers, with nightsticks and tear gas as they crossed the Bridge.  Black and National leaders return each March for the Bridge Crossing Jubilee.

Two weeks later, Alabama National Guardsmen and Army troops portected the court-ordered limit of 300 marchers as they walked from Selma to Montgomery's State Capitol.

At the foot of the bridge is the Selma/National Park Service Interpretive Center, which offers brochures, videos, exhibits and a small bookstore.

The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965.

There is a lot of industry in the immediate Montgomery area - Big Lots, Coke Cola, Hyundai, US Foods, Winn Dixie - all have big manufacturing plants here, along with an Air Force Base and Air National Guard for employment opportunities.  Despite that, Alabama still has the lowest family income of any state.

I stopped at a grocery store in Selma to get some fresh produce.  No matter what size or what kind, the tomatoes were the sorriest looking things I have ever seen; they weren't even red, regardless of the type of tomato.  I asked a fellow shopper if this was because of the time of year and she said that is as good as they get. The cantaloupe I bought last week had no flavor at all; it wasn't just bland, it was totally without any flavor.  I invited her to California.

Montgomery Day 2

And here is the promised Day 2 ....

It was 80 degrees with rain threatening all day, so you know it was humid.  The heavy rain didn't start until after 3pm, so all was good.  In speaking with the waiter where I had lunch, he confirmed how awful the humidity is during the summer.  He worked a couple of summers for his construction business owner dad; he told me he used to take 5-6 shirts to work with him every morning and rotate them during the day ...

My vote for the most expensive, yet worst lunch would got to Wintzell's in Montgomery, where I ate lunch.  I ate there because of a recommendation of the postmistress to try the fried pickles, which were VERY salty .... so much so I could only eat a couple, but the taste wasn't bad; not as sour as I thought they would be.  The ice tea I ordered ... I was brought "sweet" tea by mistake and one sip about sent me into a coma .... even the young waiter said it was way too sweet for him and he likes sweet tea.  I passed on the shrimp and grits and went for the Coastal Cobb Salad - it was OK except it had the funkiest fish in it .... I have no idea what that fish was ..and the bill was over $30! 

Fried dill pickles and ranch dressing

OK, so for what I saw in Montgomery ....

First stop was the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church - The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was its pastor 1954-60 (he was 24 years old and this was his first and only Senior Pastor position).  It was in this church that the leaders of the desegregation movement met for the first time in 1955 and decided to institute a bus boycott as a form of peaceful protest (Rosa Parks, of course, was the catalyst).

An interesting fact I didn't know - all of the members of the movement were required to pass a "course" where they were spit on and called names until they learned not to react either physically nor verbally to the abuse before they were allowed to march and protest.  Dr. King believed in peace and love.

Next, and just at the end of the block, is the Alabama State Capital Building.  Built in 1851, the first floor of the State Capitol has been preserved as a museum reflecting the building's appearance during the 1850s. Representatives of the Southern states met here in 1861 to draw up the Constitution of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

And between the State Building and the Dexter Baptist Church is this memorial to the Selma March to freedom - I'm going to Selma next week to experience as much of this as is available. They walked 55 miles in 4 days ....

Across the street from the State Building is the First (and only) White House of the Confederacy. When America was split during the Civil War, the Southern states took on a new name to scorn the Northern "Union", calling themselves the Confederate States of America.

So, all of the above are located within a couple of blocks of each other, making a nice walk.  Since the parking meters aren't valid on the weekends and there was almost no one around, it was an easy visit.

A note of caution when walking in Montgomery .... the fact that you are in a crosswalk, at a signal, that clearly has the "walk" man in your favor, does not prevent you from getting run over!  Twice, while I was crossing the street to the restaurant, I was almost run over; first by someone turning left and then by someone turning right.  Both times they were so close to me that I could touch the car, and neither driver cared nor showed any concern other than I was in his way.

Birmingham

 

Starting the day was the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum. Relive the golden age of railroading at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, where you can ride a historic passenger train consisting of early 20th-century cars pulled by first-generation diesel electric locomotives. The train operates between Calera and Shelby, and refreshments are available. A steam-operated train is also available to ride, operating on a half-mile of track.

The geographical center of Alabama is just that: the very center of the state. Visit the center of Alabama, which just happens to be in the center of a cemetery.

The Eddie Kendrick Memorial park is dedicated to the Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks where they have a bronze sculpture of the singer.   






And then onto Kelly Ingram Park, where they tell the story of Ground Zero of the Civil Rights Movement.

 It was a very emotional walk through this time ....










Birmingham's most visible landmark is the towering statue of Vulcan, the mythical god of metalworking, which stands atop Red Mountain. Second in size only to the Statue of Liberty, the statue is the centerpiece of a 10-acre urban green space and was Birmingham's entry in the 1904 World's Fair, where it took top honors.  There is an elevator to the platform ($6.60)

 There was not enough time to visit the Birmingham Botanical Garden or the Zoo, so onward ..

 
Frank Fleming's The Story Teller - The Storyteller will look a little odd at first glance. The animalistic features of the person holding a book in one hand and a staff in the other is definitely a conversation starter.

Not founded until after the Civil War, Birmingham has a single pre-civil War mansion, Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens. Built between 1845 and 1850, the restored two-story Greek Revival mansion served as headquarters for Union troops who later burned the University of Alabama, some 50 miles southwest in Tuscaloosa.






Sometimes I wish I knew if something was really worth the drive to see it .....






The African Village in America is a jumble of junk combined into glorious masterpieces that represent the struggle and trials of the African American people.

Stan the Muffler Man hangs out in Birmingham, Alabama in front of the GCR Tire Shop. He is one of many muffler men in America, and does his other muffler man brothers justice, with his hands held out, waiting to grab onto a muffler.

 Unfortunately, this is all that is left of The Wagon Ho Pioneer Giant - a massive man sitting on a wagon and waiting to explore the land like a true pioneer.

The Statue of Liberty in Alabama is obviously not the original, but there truly are several replicas of lovely Lady Liberty all over the world.  (There was just no way to get a picture from the front ...)


The Peach Water Tower will make you feel reminiscent of James & The Giant Peach, however, there are no spiders or adorable little boys hiding inside of this water tower.








I saw another golf course.  It was not as ugly as the first, but still in pretty bad shape.

I stopped for lunch at the Dreamland BBQ restaurant, which is famous for it's ribs.  While I was waiting for my food, the waitress set a plate on the table which contained 3 slices of plain white sandwich bread and a cup of BBQ sauce.  When I asked what it was for, she said it was my "appetizer, like chips and salsa."  I thought that was pretty funny .....

While stopped for gas, I started a conversation with a guy at the next pump and asked if it snows here.  He said rarely, but when it does, the whole state shuts down and people pray they have food in the house.  ha.  He also told me the humidity, oh man, is so bad in the summer you have to take your shirt off and wring it out every hour so you don't drown.

I hit rush hour traffic on the way home.  I have forgotten what that was like.

It was a good day .... long, about 11 hours, but very pleasant.

Saturday is Day 2 in Montgomery and then onto Selma next week .....

And, since my next stop is Nashville, and you can't go to Nashville without going to the Grand Ol' Oprey .... I got a ticket for one of the nights I am in the area.  Clint Black is the performer, but they warn that these are subject to change without warning.

Montgomery Day 1

I labeled this Day 1 because there is a lot to see and some of the sites are not open on Monday, so I'll go back on Saturday. In the meantime, I'll head up to Birmingham on Thursday ...


Stopped by the post office first thing this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find this one opens at 6:30am!  They are closed the usual lunch hour, but, wow, 6:30am, six days a week!  I'm finding these smaller town post offices have limited open hours, so I was pleased with this discovery.

The two postal workers were very nice, friendly and helpful.  Their suggestions for the local delicacies were fried dill pickles and craw fish.  Well, craw fish are just nasty, so that will never happen.  ha.   Most of their other suggestions were things I have tried either in North Carolina or elsewhere in the south.  I will try the pickles however.  Apparently, there is also a dill pickle dip I need to find ...  They also suggested two restaurants in Montgomery, so I'll be checking those out as well.

I was telling one of the postal workers about the chocolate covered bacon I got at the factory in Daytona Beach, FL, and she thought that was just gross.....and yet .... craw fish.  ha.

My first stop in Montgomery was the visitor's center.  It is housed in what used to be Union Station.  A truly beautiful old building.

Did you know, Montgomery was the nation's first city to introduce an electric streetcar system to local travel?

I see I took over 50 pictures, so I better get started ...

When Rosa Parks refused to get off of the bus in Montgomery because she was tired and exhausted from working hard that day, she never thought the gesture would make her become "The Mother of the Civil Rights Movement". Visit the very spot where Rosa Parks was arrested for her refusal to get up.

 

 

 

Countless crosses line the yard of William C. Rice, who was told by God to build a cross garden to spread the message of Jesus Christ to the masses.

 I spent most of the day in Old Alabama Town - The pre-Civil War era comes alive at Old Alabama Town, an open air museum where visitors can tour the Ordeman-Mitchell-Shaw House, which is an 1850s town house, and other buildings restored as examples of 19th and early 20th century Alabama architecture. The six-block area has an authentic cotton gin, grist mill, store, country doctor's office, school, and church. Artisans can be seen working at various period crafts.

Hank Williams was such a prominent member of both the rock and country music circles that he has three different facilities dedicated to his life and memory; there is even a Hank Williams Trail "The Lost Highway".  Here is picture of his statue and his grave.  There are also museums ...




Surprisingly little traffic in the downtown Montgomery area.  You do have to pay to park everywhere you stop, but it was fairly easy to maneuver around, even with all the one-way streets. The postal ladies told me it was unsafe to go there at one time, even in the daytime, but the city is trying hard to clean it up for tourists.


I did have my first piece of catfish yesterday.  It wasn't bad at all .... a nice white fish.  I still prefer flounder, haddock, or even tilapia, but it was good.  It was served with mac and cheese.  As much as I love cheese, mac and cheese has never been a favorite and I'm not sure I see the attraction, but it is popular.

Driving south on I-65 coming back from Montgomery, there is a billboard that says FRESH SEAFOOD straight ahead until you run out of land.  I thought this was funny because this highway dead ends in Mobile and the Gulf.


I do have a couple of additional categories to add to my Greatest Hits and Misses list -

Best aquarium EVER:  Atlanta, GA

The dirtiest my car has ever been, hands down:  The trip from GA to Alabama.  I don't know why this happened, as the roads weren't bad, but my car was beyond filthy when I arrived in Alabama.  I could not see out any of the windows.

Most emotional place I have been:  911 Memorial (with the Civil Rights Museum in Atlanta being second)

Prettiest golf courses:  PEI

Saddest looking golf course:  Montgomery, AL  (I realize this is a general statement as I've only seen the one, but it was "ruff" ---)

Florida will take it hands down forever for the buggiest state.

Welcome to Alabama

Since I have not previously been to Alabama, I get a new state sticker for my map....the first one in awhile.



This campground is just about like the one I left in Georgia .... a stone's throw from the Interstate and a train.  The owners are extremely nice and very friendly, so it's a good place to stay for awhile.  I'm here 2 weeks, before heading to Nashville, TN.

I'm staying in the lovely community of Hope Hull, AL.  It's about 20 miles to Montgomery, a little longer in the other direction to Selma, and about an hour/hour and a half to Birmingham.  All three are on my list to visit while I'm here.  I have to drive into Montgomery for a Walmart or Publix; the local grocery store is a Winn Dixie, which I'm going to check out.  From the Piggly Wiggly to the Winn Dixie ... is that a step up?

I did finally get warm.  It is in the 70s here (running the A/C a little right now to cool off the coach to sleep); it's suppose to get into the 80s as the week progresses.

One way to beat the Daylight Savings Time spring forward/lose an hour, is to change time zones.  I gained the hour back when I cleared the Alabama state line.

I don't know what my challenge is, unless it is anticipation about the move, but even after more than a year I still can't sleep the night before I change campgrounds.  I slept about 3-4 hours last night and that was it.  It made the drive today hard, as I was really tired (not sleepy), so I was glad it was only a couple hundred miles.  I was so miserable by 3pm I just gave up and took a nap ... we'll see if I get any sleep tonight, although I am yawning. Part of my problem last night is my back is killing me.  I really need to find a Chiropractor while I'm here and get it adjusted.  Apparently, ignoring it isn't the answer.

Tomorrow is errand day, but Monday I'll be seeing some sights in Montgomery and will let you know what I discover.

Alabama (AL) - Based on the Choctaw word albah amo meaning "thicket clearers"

Flag:
A crimson St. Andrew's cross on a white field, patterned after the Confederate Battle Flag, and adopted in 1895. The bars forming the cross must not be less than six inches broad and must extend diagonally across the flag from side to side.

•  Nickname: Yellowhammer State

 
  

Alabama Facts and Trivia

• Alabama introduced the Mardi Gras to the western world. The celebration is held on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins.

• Alabama workers built the first rocket to put humans on the moon.

• The world's first Electric Trolley System was introduced in Montgomery in 1886.

• Alabama is the only state with all major natural resources needed to make iron and steel. It is also the largest supplier of cast-iron and steel pipe products.

• Montgomery is the capital and the birthplace of the Confederate States of America. 

• The Confederate flag was designed and first flown in Alabama in 1861. 

• Alabama became the 22nd state on December 14, 1819. 

• The town of Enterprise houses the Boll Weevil Monument to acknowledge the role this destructive insect played in encouraging farmers to grow crops other than cotton. 

• Huntsville is known as the rocket capital of the World. 

• The Alabama Department of Archives is the oldest state-funded archival agency in the nation. 

Macon .... and around

Drove to Macon to see the cherry blossoms, but, alas, nature did not cooperate.  They are still dormant.

Driving around Macon was very interesting .... some of the streets are still brick and the mansions were just fabulous.

First, I didn't get a picture of the Otis Redding statue. It is in a park and I couldn't find anywhere to leave my car to take the picture.  Macon was his birthplace, as it was for Little Richard (and gobs of other famous people).

Some of the pictures I did take, however:

St. Joseph's Catholic Church

This wonderful old tree with the Savannah Moss ..

Sidney Lanier's house

Ocmulgee National Monument -Between the years 900 and 1200, an elite society supported by skillful farmers lived here.  They were part of a distinctive culture; still-visible remnants of their large town include temple, domiciliary and burial mounds, prehistoric ditches, terraces and a unique ceremonial earthlodge.

 

Later, when I was driving back, looking for dinner, I came across a "restaurant row." For a mile or two there was every restaurant you could think of .... from McD and Jimmy Johns to Outback, Longhorn and Olive Garden ... interesting to me was, there were no ethnic food establishments included, not even Chinese, and no BBQ joints; just the one Italian place.



Also, I thought this was interesting .... A health food storefront in the middle of these fast food establishments ...







And the interesting mailbox of the day ...

My very pleasant weather from last week took an immediate turn for the worse .... it went down to 20s and 30s at night, with highs in the 40s and 50s during the day, with an extremely cold wind and some rain.

I went into the neighborhood Piggly Wiggly, not because I needed anything, but for the experience (I had never been in one) .... the cashier told me that Georgia is BiPolar - that's their weather - warm and nice one day, frigid and rainy the next, which I have totally experienced since I've been here ... the funny comment she made was that if I wanted good weather, go to Florida.