First Weekend in Selma

By Carlie Lavon Webber

Travel to Selma

After loading the bus and traveling for a little over 2 days our Goshen College group reached Selma, Alabama. On our travels, we stopped in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky! Our group enjoyed a delicious dinner and a mile and a half hike through the woods where we laid our eyes upon Dixon Cave and the beautiful terrain of Kentucky. The next day, our group departed from our short stay at Mammoth Cave and we traveled all the way to Camp Chandler outside of Montgomery, Alabama where we engaged in our first on-trip lesson on the history of Selma, Alabama. We gathered close together as we listened to podcast recollections of the significance of Selma in the Civil Rights Movement. Our class learned and reflected on the pioneers of the Civil Rights Movement like John Robert Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr. and their role in the Selma to Montgomery Marches of 1965. Our group learned about the events of “Bloody Sunday” and how this day became a turning point in the fight for freedom, the fight for civil rights, and not just in the South but all of America.

Our second night concluded with a live guitar show from Aysia and Jacob as well as a few rounds of “Four on the Couch” around the fire pit.

Arriving in Selma

Our group rose early for a delicious breakfast prepared by our Camp Chandler hosts. We hopped on the bus and drove straight to Selma. As we crossed into Selma, we drove over the Edmund Pettus Bridge where the events of Bloody Sunday took place. Crossing this bridge was hard, I felt this sadness wave over me. We arrived at our destination where we would start our mobile tour of Selma which happened to be in front of a small coffee shop by the name of Reflections Coffee Shop. Upon walking in, I was greeted with the power of reflection and remembrance for the Selma to Montgomery Marches. The small shop was a place of reflection itself, as well as a place to gather and build community through remembrance of the Marches.

Our group grabbed coffees as we waited for our tour guide. Once she arrived, we departed. Well, sort of. As we pulled out of our parking spot, we heard a loud POP and a THUD. Unfortunately, our tire had popped after smacking the curb. Even with this, our SST leaders Micah and Hillary showed great resilience and flexibility in creating a new plan. Fix the tire and explore the city on foot in the meantime! So we traveled by foot around Selma. We pointed out murals and discussed their significance as well as popped into the Selma Interpretive Center where we learned more about the Selma to Montgomery Marches. Even with the unfortunate event of popping our tire and missing out on our tour, we still enjoyed our first day in Selma, Alabama. I look forward to more immersive learning opportunities in the days to come.

-By Carlie Lavon Webber