Freedom Summer: Day 1
June 14, 2014
Washington, DC, Greensboro
and Rock Hill, NC
FNN Tech Prep Bureau: Today is June 14th, 2014. It is also the first day of our six day trip. We started our journey to retrace the steps of the freedom riders and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Freedom Summer at DC’s own Friendship House. It was at Friendship House where some of the Freedom Riders began their journey and also where we began ours. We took pictures in the same style as the original Freedom Riders and we then boarded our bus and began our six day adventure from Washington DC to Mississippi. After a five hour ride, we arrived in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was in Greensboro where the lunch counter sit-ins originated. We visited the International Civil Rights Museum and learned about the history of Greensboro’s civil rights involvement and how racial discrimination and segregation launched a national protest movement. After visiting and exploring the museum, we then went to Cracker Barrel in Rock Hill, SC. Up until the early 2000s, Cracker Barrel was known for racial and sexual discrimination against their customers and employees. Once we arrived at Cracker Barrel, we all sat down and chowed down on some good ol’ southern cooking. After everyone was finished eating we then boarded the bus again and went to our last stop of the day, our hotel. We arrived at our hotel and we’re currently getting ready and settled for an early morning. This day didn’t really spark any unusual feelings in me because I didn’t see anything or hear anything that I didn’t know about, but I enjoyed it overall.
- Trayona Lawrence
Today we traveled from DC to Greensboro NC, where we visited the International Civil Rights Museum. It was hard to be reminded that my ancestors, my great grandmother as well as my grandmother had to endure such hatred and racism. We were taken through a series of events that led to the sit-ins, boycotts, riots and vast anger/retaliation of African Americans. As we moved along the timeline in the museum, you see what events made African Americans fed-up and eager to make a change. They were so fed up, that the fear of death became an expectation. The museum is mostly dedicated to four young gentlemen, ones who I believe should be uplifted in history just as MLK and Malcom X. I just learned about them today and they are ‘’the spark that lit the fire” because they were against the idea that “we can shop here, but we can’t sit here and eat as the whites because we are black”. They led a whole revolution, and it’s remarkable to think that these were four black college guys who had a lot going for them. They took that risk, anyway—not just for themselves—but for the generations to come. At the end of our tour, we, as in “the four guys on the trip” re-created the picture that was taken of them by the reporter who published the news story. After that we went for dinner at a Cracker Barrel in Rock Hill, NC. Cracker Barrel was segregated once but now it’s not. When you look back at what used to be when your older family members were living, and then look at things now, it’s a blessing. I get a sense that, “What if they (ancestors/elders) didn’t fight for equal rights? What would my world be?”
- Aaron Grice
Saturday, June 14, 2014. Today, we started our recreation of the freedom ride. Our first stop was the Friendship House in Washington, D.C. The Friendship House is where Friendship Public Charter Schools originated. We recreated a picture from the original freedom ride. This made me see where my school originated from and the history behind that. Next stop was Greensboro North Carolina where we went to the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. This museum made me feel proud of being black. It made me feel that my ancestors were STRONG, DETERMINED, and POWERFUL. They made sure they were heard and it was always non-violent. They killed hatred with kindness and still won the many battles fought. This was a great experience.
- Rydia Wright
June 14, 2014. Today's trip was inspiring. Walking through the museum in Greensboro, made realize just how much our ancestors did to lead the way for us and our freedom to the rights we have. While walking through “The Hall of Shame” I shed a few tears, seeing the fatalities was humbling and made me angry. My anger quickly dissolved when I started to hear about the support the four college students received from whites. Those four men made me realize the power we hold as people and as a unit. When recreating the original picture of the four freshman, I saw the potential our young men of today have and the power they hold. After the tour through the museum I felt inspired, empowered and humbled. Our tour guide did a tremendous job making us feel like we were there and explaining everything. Then, I learned something about Cracker Barrel today that I never knew . They discriminated against any and everybody who wasn't white. It wasn't until about 2005 that they started to serve everybody. This experience is turning out better than I thought. It's also teaching and humbling me. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to do this.
- Reina Tindle
Today Is Saturday June 14, 2014 and we are starting our journey to retrace the original freedom rider trail. Our first stop today was Friendship House in Washington, DC. I learned that this stop held a lot of history and helped a lot of people during struggling times. It was used as a settlement house and offered its help to anyone who needed it. But the highlight of the day is when we arrived at Woolworth’s in North Carolina. I was able to see the original lunch counter where so many college students held sit-ins. Not only did I feel special being in such a special place, but I was proud that this is what I came from, that my ancestors were fighting for what they believed in.
- Patricia Tindle
Today we traveled from DC to Greensboro NC, where we visited the International Civil Rights Museum. It was hard to be reminded that my ancestors, my great grandmother as well as my grandmother had to endure such hatred and racism. We were taken through a series of events that led to the sit-ins, boycotts, riots and vast anger/retaliation of African Americans. As we moved along the timeline in the museum, you see what events made African Americans fed up and eager to make a change. They were so fed up, that the fear of death became an expectation. The museum is mostly dedicated to four young gentlemen, ones who I believe should be uplifted in history just as MLK and Malcom X.
I just learned about them today and they are ‘’the spark that lit the fire” because they were against the idea that “we can shop here, but we can’t sit here and eat as the whites because we are black”. They led a whole revolution, and it’s remarkable to think that these were four black college guys who had a lot going for them, and they took that risk , anyway not just for themselves but for the generations to come. At the end of our tour, we, as in “the four guys on the trip” re-created the picture that was taken of them by the reporter who published the news story. After that we went for dinner at a Cracker Barrel in Rock Hill, NC. Cracker Barrel was segregated once but now it’s not. When you look back at what used to be when your older family members were living, and then look at things now, it’s a blessing. I get a sense that, “What if they (ancestors/elders) didn’t fight for equal rights? What would my world be?”
- Aaron Grice
Today is Saturday, June 14, 2014. Today is the first day of our recreation of the famous freedom riders bus route. Our first stop was Friendship House which was also the first stop for the freedom riders leaving DC and ironically where Friendship Public Charter Schools was started. I enjoyed seeing the little piece of history, but I feel bad that it's being turned into condos. It is really sad how we focus so much on the past but will quickly grab for the future. After recreating the picture that was taken by the freedom riders we got back on the bus and set out for Greensboro, North Carolina. When we finally arrived, we headed straight for the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. The museum was originally the Woolworth store where the first lunch counter sit-in took place. I had a lot of fun learning new things about the civil rights movement and also appreciate my life and that I am able to live freely.
- Briana Thomas
06/14/14. Our first stop on our journey to Mississippi was the Friendship House in Washington DC. At the Friendship House, my peers and I took a picture to look like the freedom riders in front of the building. Next we went to Greensboro, South Carolina to visit the Civil Rights Musuem. There, I learned about segregation and the four black college students from South Carolina A&T who sat in at a “whites only” lunch counter. I also found out how the sit-in spread throughout the entire south in just a short period of time. The photos and videos that I saw in the museum were terrifying. It was cruel how whites treated blacks at the time. Lasty, we went to Rock Hill, North Carolina, where we ate at Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel was a restaurant with racial and sexual discrimination in the 1960’s.
- Taria Taylor
Today is the first day of our trip to Mississippi and we have stopped at three places. First, we took a trip to the Friendship House where we stopped and talked about the significance of the house and how some of the freedom riders started here on their mission to Mississippi. We gathered together to take a picture just like the freedom riders did—to get the feeling and experience they did. Next we went to the museum in Greensboro, North Carolina where multiple students sat and tried to integrate the restaurants. I really enjoyed this tour. It really opened my eyes to important things that I didn't really take seriously. We saw images, videos and books on the tragic incidents that occurred in the 60s. Our last stop was Cracker Barrel, a famous restaurant that used to discriminate against blacks, gays and other people. It was finally opened to everybody in 2005. I really had fun today and I look forward to more things ahead.
- Deandra Jackson
Day 1. Today we made three stops. Our first stop was the Friendship House. We recreated the original freedom riders picture. The Friendship house is the birthplace of Friendship schools however it's now being turned into condos. Our second stop was in Greensboro, NC. We stopped at the Woolworth Museum. The Woolworth store was open to everybody but only whites were served at the lunch counters. Four boys from NC A&T University got tired of it so they staged sit-ins at the counters. The counters were original and the museum was about to get demolished but it was saved by someone who believed it was worth it. The museum officially opened in 2010. Our third stop was Cracker Barrel in South Carolina. There was a store within the restaurant. The food was pretty good. I had chicken strips and fries which is my usual meal. Today was really eye-opening because at first I never realized why I could send my food back if I didn’t like it and I do that very often. But it was because of the NC A&T Four that I can exercise my right to do so. Now we are at the hotel ready to call it a night.
- Rhonea Long
June 15, 2014 : Today we went to the church Martin Luther King Jr. attended when he was a child. He later became the pastor of the church. The church was located in Birmingham, Alabama, which in the 50’s and 60’s was a key city in the progression of the civil rights era. We also visited Atlanta, Georgia where we saw Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King’s grave and the eternal flame. We saw the house Martin Luther King was born in. Lastly,we visited Dreamland where the food was delicious. This was a great learning experience for me. I grown more humble with myself, by remembering where us people as blacks have come from.
- Kvonte Perry
Today we visited the Friendship House and recreated a particular moment in time. I thought that it was a nice way to start off our journey. Then we continued our journey to the museum in Greensboro, NC where we got to see where the four gentlemen decided to take a stand against segregation. This trip has started out great so far. We’re able to learn more about people who fought for our rights as African Americans.
- Jasmine Kibler
Today, we went to visit Friendship House which was the starting destination for the Freedom Riders. We recreated the image that the original group took. We then traveled to this museum where we learned about a group of young college men who took a stand to eat at a segregated restaurant.
- Tamika Turner