Converge Media journeys back to the South: Birmingham
Converge Media is back in the South on a #PartneredPilgrimage with Seattle’s Choose 180 and Sankofa Impact. We are documenting the trip as a group of nearly 30 individuals from The Emerald City experience history and culture in New Orleans, The Mississippi Delta, Memphis, Selma, Montgomery, and Atlanta along the way, the group will meet with and learn from Civil Rights foot soldiers and activists working in their communities today.
We will be documenting our film crew’s experiences in each city as we go. Stay tuned for updates on the film.
#SankofaImpact #ichoose180 #BlackHistory #SharedHistory #Seattle #freedom #BlackLivesMatter #BlackHistoryMatters #collectiveliberation #BlackMediaMatters #WWConvergeDay 2 #ConvergeOnTheRoad
Sloss Furnaces
Our first stop in Birmingham was the historic Sloss Furnaces. The iron furnaces operated from 1881 until the 1960s, with the site now open as a museum. The Sankofa Impact and Choose 180 were led by a tour guide through the site, learning about the iron process as well as the role played by iron in the development of the city.
The tour also dove into the darker parts of the company’s history, as they used convict leasing for labor in the mines and placed the workers into brutal conditions.
16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park
Our next stop was a visit to the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of one of the most well-known and tragic bombings of the Civil Rights movement. In 1963, the KKK bombed the church, killing four little girls. During that time, the church served as a headquarters and gathering point for Black leaders and organizers. That bombing was one of more than 45 during the decade.
Next to the church is Kelly Ingram park. Following a program at the church, the group made their way over to the Civil Rights monuments which stand there.
Rickwood Field
Our final stop of the day was Rickwood Field. The oldest baseball stadium in America, the park opened in 1910. The stadium was the home of the Birmingham Black Barons, who played in the Negro National League and the Negro American League over their 40 year history and featured players such as Satchel Paige and Willie Mays.
The group was able to take batting practice on the field and enjoy the atmosphere and history in the museum and locker room.
