Converge Media journeys back to the South: Selma and Atlanta
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
Selma Walking Tour
The first stop of the penultimate day was a walking tour through Selma, Alabama led by JoAnne Bland. A civil rights foot soldier, Bland participated in many marches throughout the ‘60s and beyond, including Bloody Sunday. She was also part of the march following that which made it the State Capitol in Montgomery.
The Sankofa Impact and Choose 180 groups were led through the middle of the George Washington Carver housing projects, where many inspirational figures spoke, as well as the Brown Chapel AME Church. She then gave a Q&A session for the group.
Edmund Pettus Bridge
The next step was to the site of many iconic and tragic moments JoAnne talked about, the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The group took a symbolic march across, following the footsteps of thousands before who fought for freedom and justice.
On the other side of the bridge, they admired the monuments to Civil Rights leaders in the park.
Stone Mountain
Our final stop of the day was Stone Mountain. A confederate monument, the mountain features carvings of confederate generals. At the park, we met with leaders of SMAC, the Stone Mountain Action Coalition. Their goal is to get rid of the carvings and change the narrative around the monument into one which accurately conveys the role of the confederacy and teaches about the roots of white supremacy in a way which can positively impact future generations.
Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Park and Ebenezer Baptist Church
The final day took the group to Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Park. This park features a reflective pool, notable quotes, history, as well as serving as the final resting place for King and his wife Coretta. Their bodies are interred in a tomb in the center of the pool.
Next to the park stands the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both Martin Luther King Sr and Jr served as lead pastors. Currently, Georgia Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock is the Lead Pastor at the church.
