Civil Rights Pilgrimage
Submitted by
Mary Ann Erdtmann
I participated in a recent tour of cities important in the Civil Rights Movement, because education is one of the goals of our Racial Justice Ministry. To me, it was a sacred pilgrimage!
In Atlanta, I was moved when I saw the tombs of Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King set in a pool of water, symbolizing his famous quote: “We shall not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” The Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery gave me new insights into the depths of her courage.
As I walked across the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, I did so with reverence and a prayer of gratitude for all those Freedom Fighters who crossed that bridge and faced violence. My heart ached for the families of the four young girls killed in a church bombing in Birmingham.
I learned and felt so much! My respect and admiration for those involved has deepened. Their spirituality, nonviolence and resilience have inspired me.