Sep
24

Sankofa racial reconciliation bus tour

Gathering at North Park Univeristy to get going Thursday afternoon Getting on the bus our home for the next 72 hours First stop for breakfast Friday morning in Birmingham AL. The food was magical 16th Street Church site of the infamous explosion that killed three teanage girls getting ready for Sunday School The park across fromthe church that was a staging area for may of the Birmingham marches Stained glass window designed by a s welsh artist and given to 16th St church as a memorial for the girls and it solidarity with the movement Statues of some of the leaders and participants inthe Birmingham movement Statues of some of the leaders and participants inthe Birmingham movement Statues capturing some of the events that happened around the part Mural at Edmond Pettis Bridge Bronze plaques recognizing the leaders of the March acroos the Edmond Pettis bidge in Selma AL Our group walking across the bridge Me onthe other side of bridge FridayMe and my partner Blaine in front of the museumBeale street Memphis TN. saturday evening

The Lorriane Motel site of Dr King's assasination Memphis TN Saturday morning Walking to the National Civil Rights Musuem Memphis TN restaged Loraine Hotel as it was when Dr. King was killed A new wing of the National Civil Rghts Museum located in the site of the boarding house where the shot is supposed to have been fired   Returning to North Park Sunday afternoon 

In one Thursday afternoon in August after a drive from Grand Rapids to Chicago I boarded a bus with about 40 other people and started out on my first Sankofa journey. Sankofa (looking back to move forward) is a bus tour of several civil rights sites and a process of conversation and reflection about racial reconciliation. It is conducted by the compassion, mercy and justice ministry of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

We visited sites in Birmingham and Selma Alabama, Jackson Mississippi, and Memphis Tennessee. On the way we watched videos dealing with racial tension and reconciliation. Movies like Crash and Remember the Titans, Race the Power of Illusion and the Color of Fear. After each viewing or site visit we were asked to reflection on what we saw or experienced with a partner who was from another racial ethnic group.

I have to say I was skeptical and ambivalent at first. I have done Cross roads anti-racism training and Cognitive Toolbox diversity training so I wasn’t sure what would learn. However these were sites in the south that I had never been to and would probably not go to alone since my first and only visit to the deep south was kinds of scary. So I decided to make the trip after being asked. I’m glad I did.

Our host/facilitators Chrissy, Debbie and Mona put together a powerful experience. The 72 bus ride made me feel as if I was one of freedom riders as we went from site to site seeing the critical places and experiences that shaped the civil rights movement. They asked the right questions and created the right moments to get the participants really thinking.

So some observations from my experience.

  • Some white Christians still don’t grasp the impact of racism and white privilege in American society and the church
  • Some people including me aren’t fully aware of this nations civil rights history. This is important for me to understand as I’m not African American having been born in Jamaica if I expect to work with African Americans in ministry.
  • Some white Christians don’t appreciate the the ongoing complicity of the church in perpetuating intolerance and racism.
  • There is still a fair amount of paternalism among white Christians in response to race and racial reconciliation.
  • If someone is open and willing to suspend their preconceptions and entertain the ideas of others much progress in the dialog can be made.

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Posted by Andre Daley conversations, diversity Subscribe to RSS feed

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