Civil Rights - Day One

On the first day of our trip, we spent most of the time in the bus on the way to Atlanta, Georgia. But at last, we arrived at our destination sometime in the afternoon. We immediately went to the Georgia State University and listened to a presentation by Dr. H. Robert Baker, a very charismatic and engaging professor with expertise in the subjects of civil rights, especially how legal concepts fit into popular culture.

Listening to him was a good precursor for the rest of the trip I think, because he centered his talk on how the fight for civil rights wasn't limited to a certain 10-year period in the 1960's, but that it was something that started happening at least over a century ago, and it has been a long process that kind of involved a lot of two-steps forward, three-steps back sort of progress. The main points of his presentation are hard to reiterate, but I can say that what he said made me think of human rights in a more long-term historical way as well as how tied up they are in our country's constitution and legal process. It was also good to hear him speak, because he gave a lot of background on where the struggle for rights started, linking it to cultural changes in the history of the United States. Also, he gave a lot of details that are useful to think about relating to the major cases such as Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, etc.

So, it was good to have a refresher. And it was good to get details. And it was good to be reminded how huge the process of fighting for equality was and essentially is.

I know I haven't really given you any of my own specific thoughts yet, but don't worry, I'm sure they will come. :)

So for tonight, I am going to rejuvenate myself and be ready to look and see and learn tomorrow, and collect some observations I can pass on to whoever wants to read it tomorrow.