Slavehaven and Civil Rights Museum

Today I was really struck by my surprise at the Slavehaven Underground Railroad Museum. I knew that slaves would escape, but I never knew the lengths that they went to to get their freedom. I thought the secret codes in their blankets and songs and drum rhythms were very clever. I never would have figured that out. I think the bells that they put on the captured runaway slaves were just unbelievable and very cruel. Coming back from this museum, I have to say that African Americans were way smarter than people then gave them credit for. Another very significant thing for me was getting to go and stand not only in the spot that Martin Luther King Junior once stood, but where he was shot and killed. It was very emotion evoking to see the room he was staying in at the time of his death perfectly preserved as if it had just happened.

I can’t believe how much we have grown as a nation over just the past few decades. Just since the 60’s with Martin Luther King Junior and African Americans being shot just because he didn’t abide by a white man’s rules, we have come to loving and welcoming differences with open arms. I believe that we have come so far, and that is awesome, but I still think that we can do so much more. And that is what we’re striving for here.

Christina Baith