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A Pastor's Thoughts on Trip to Montgomery

glenschrieber

Updated: Aug 3, 2024




A Visit to the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice


I recently had the privilege of visiting the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama. I also got to take a quick drive to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. As the only Asian American represented in the group that I went with, my perspective was a bit different. The museum and the memorial are dedicated to preserving the history of slavery, racial segregation, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights in the United States.


The Legacy Museum

The Legacy Museum is a powerful and moving experience. It tells the story of slavery, segregation, and the fight for civil rights in the United States. The museum is divided into three sections: the Middle Passage, Slavery and Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement. For a visual learner who loves history, this museum was setup incredibly well.


The Middle Passage section tells the story of the transatlantic slave trade. It is a sobering and heartbreaking account of the millions of Africans who were kidnapped and forced into slavery. The Slavery and Jim Crow section tells the story of slavery and segregation in the United States. It is a story of violence, oppression, and injustice. The Civil Rights Movement section tells the story of the fight for civil rights in the United States. It is a story of courage, determination, and hope.


The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is a powerful and moving memorial to the victims of lynching in the United States. The memorial is a field of 800 steel columns, each representing a county in the United States where a lynching occurred. The columns are arranged in a grid, with the columns for counties with the most lynchings in the center. The names of the victims are engraved on the columns.


My Thoughts

As an Asian American, I was reminded of the important connections between our struggles and those of other marginalized groups. But on American soil, the brutality of what happened to our African American brothers and sisters does not compare to what we went through. I was also reminded of the ongoing work that we must all do to create a more just and equitable society.


Among the many things African Americans did for Asian Americans, one of the most important is in their significant role in the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished the national-origins quota system. The act was a major victory for the civil rights movement, and it opened the door to a new era of immigration to the United States. Without this, many of us Asian Americans, would not be American.


I encourage everyone, especially Asian Americans, to visit the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It is an important experience that will stay with you long after you leave.


- Binu Thomas, Edge City Church, NYC



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