Justice does not only ask who is represented at our table but moves us to inquire about who is served at the table that has been set. Further, it asks: Are there any barriers that prevent certain people from being served? It requires that we name and examine historical and current systems of oppression. It helps us expand the conversation beyond diversity and embrace the complexity of addressing oppression in all its forms, not just marginalization.

You don’t need to get on a bus with us to make this journey—but a road map always helps. So here are our tips for planning travel to many Civil Rights Movement sites in the Deep South.

This will be my last year regularly leading civil rights tours through the Deep South. I’ve always said that I identify more as an educator than as a tour operator, and since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve leaned into that. However, it’s with deep appreciation for the opportunity I had to be a part of transformative travel for so many people that I look forward to this transition.

We’ve just updated our Exploring the Civil Rights Trail padlet to include everything you need to plan travel with your own group, or with your family. Scroll left to see it all and learn more.

The Justice at Work Discussion guide is here! Get the most out of your training with Freedom Lifted with this guide.

When studying and celebrating Black history, often there is a tendency to focus on learning about individual people. However, in most cases, when history is made, the critical work is done by groups, not one person. When we ignore the contributions of coalitions and organizations, we are unable to appreciate the need for collective action to address the issues we face in the ongoing struggle for freedom and equality.

Movement work is hard, but never done in isolation. While we work with others to move forward strategies and tactics, we also develop our political identities through conversations, debates, and, yes, relationships with those people.