Follow in the footsteps of some of the most important moments in American history, half a century ago, during the Civil Rights movement. Start in Atlanta, Georgia, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born. Visit the cornerstones of his life, from the house where he was born to his final resting place, learning and finding inspiration along the way. Next, cross state lines into Alabama, where you’ll visit Tuskegee, home of the legendary all-Black Red Tails Airforce unit that fought in the second world war, George Washington Carver, and Booker T. Washington. Stop in Selma, known for the Civil Rights marches that were held here, including Bloody Sunday, and on to Birmingham, where Rosa Parks made her stand. Allow the fight of those who came before us to fill you with pride and remind you that it is people who make history.
Degree of Difficulty –
Arrive Atlanta, Georgia’s buzzing capital, an exciting, diverse city where you can spend days exploring its history, cuisine and getting to know its people. Atlanta was an important supply route during the Civil War and the spiritual center of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. Your day is at leisure to explore the city on your own. Tonight, enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant for a taste of Atlanta’s flavors. AC HOTEL.
(D)
You are in for a special treat today as you journey through the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, an area that covers several blocks and includes King’s birth home, the church that he and his father preached at, his grave site, and exhibitions about King’s life and the Civil Rights movement. After lunch (on your own), depart on a guided walking “Sweet Auburn “tour to discover Atlanta’s civil rights history in this area. The name Sweet Auburn was coined by John Wesley Dobbs, referring to the “richest Negro street in the world.” Stroll down Sweet Auburn Avenue, the heart of African American commerce and culture in Atlanta at the turn of the century. Discover landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement, and several historic African American churches including Big Bethel AME Church, the first African American church in Atlanta, and Ebenezer Baptist Church, the spiritual home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. End your day at the APEX Museum featuring exhibits on the history of Sweet Auburn and the African American experience. AC HOTEL.
(B,D)
Start your day with a visit at the new Center for Civil and Human Rights with exhibits on the American and Global Human Rights Movement. Immerse yourself in experiential galleries through powerful and authentic stories, historical documents, compelling artifacts, and interactive activities. Then visit the Centennial Olympic Park, the world’s gathering place during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Continue to the Grant Park Historic District located at one of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods and the Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum. The Cyclorama is a 360-degree detailed panorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta in 1864, the world’s largest oil painting, painted in 1885-86 by artists from Germany. AC HOTEL.
(B,D)
Travel to Tuskegee, a city in Macon County, Alabama, founded and planned in 1833 by General Thomas Simpson Woodward. Visit the Tuskegee History Center, a vibrant museum recognizing the three cultural groups that changed history in Macon County – Native Americans, European Americans, and African Americans. From civil rights victories with state and national impact, to a medical travesty of international significance, visit this museum and visitor center to discover this part of the South which is the scene of so much wonderful history that has both shaped and transformed America. After lunch, visit the Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site to learn about such historic giants as George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington. Explore the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and then drive to Montgomery; once the capital of the Confederacy, it grew to become the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King preached at the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. STAYBRIDGE SUITES.
(B,D)
Depart for Selma, best known for the 1960s Selma Voting Rights Movement and the Selma to Montgomery marches, beginning with “Bloody Sunday” in March of 1965 and ending with 25,000 people entering Montgomery to press for voting rights. Visit the Selma Interpretive Center located at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and the Old Depot Museum, located in an 1891 railway depot. See artifacts from pre-history American Indians through the voting rights era and beyond. Before returning to Montgomery, stop at the Lowndes Interpretive Center to view a 25-minute film titled, “Never Lose Sight of Freedom”, hear voices of the march, and touch and feel interactive. Back in Montgomery, your adventure concludes at the steps of the Alabama State Capitol where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a host of others addressed a crowd of 25,000 people in support of voting rights for all. STAYBRIDGE SUITES.
(B,D)
This morning, visit the Rosa Parks Library and Museum. Feel what it was like to be arrested for not moving to the back of the bus. Tour the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church to see the modest pulpit where Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. first preached his message of hope and brotherhood, and the Dexter Parsonage Museum, built in 1912, which has been restored to its appearance when Dr. King and his family lived there. Tour the Freedom Rides Museum, located in Montgomery’s historic Greyhound Bus Station, and enjoy a guided tour of the Civil Rights Memorial & Center, dedicated to those who died during the modern Civil Rights Movement. Depart for Birmingham, nestled at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. HOTEL INDIGO.
(B,D)
Today you visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, an interpretive museum that depicts the struggles of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and the 16th Street Baptist Church that suffered the deadliest moment in the history of the civil rights era; on Sept. 15, 1963, four girls preparing for Sunday school were killed by a bomb in the church basement. Serving as the gateway to the Civil Rights District, Kelly Ingram Park is designated as “A Place of Revolution and Reconciliation”. During the 1960′s the public park was a place for uniting forces of grassroots resistance to racism and organizing marches, including ones in which police dogs and fire hoses were turned on the marchers. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. HOTEL INDIGO.
(B,D)
Your tour has come to an end as you transfer to the airport for your flight home, bringing with you the sights, the history and the songs of the South!
(B)
Prices vary by season and package. Please inquire by phone at (800) 627-1244 or email info@classicescapes.com for more information and a pricing estimate.
Maximum group size: No restrictions, although we recommend a maximum of 30 travelers.
YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES:
- Superior accommodations throughout as indicated or similar.
- Transfers from Airports to the Hotels on the main trip and extension. (Please note one group transfer will be supplied each way. Anyone not arriving on group schedule, will require a personal transfer at additional cost.)
- All transfers and excursions by private vehicle.
- Services of driver/guides throughout the tour.
- American breakfast daily; other meals as indicated in itinerary.
- All applicable hotel taxes and gratuities for baggage handling.
- All attraction admission fees.
- Complimentary baggage tags.
Both States have hot and muggy summers and short and cold winters, although typically Alabama is warmer during the winter than Georgia. In the low country where our Golden Isles program takes place, it is especially humid. For both of our programs Summer is best avoided.
