Sixth Form workshops at Norbury Manor Business & Enterprise College, Croydon, March 7th 2017

We were delighted to be invited to run a day on the US civil rights movement for Sixth Form History students at Norbury Manor.

JtoJ friend and volunteer Celina Dunlop (UK representative of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute) told them to the ‘real’ story of Rosa Parks who was a lifelong, radical activist and was not in fact the first African-American who refused to give up her seat to white person. The Norbury students were also introduced to Jo Ann Robinson, a Montgomery resident who had spent years planning a bus boycott against racist practices and had leaflets ready prepared! Celina shared her fantastic collection of original artefacts from the period – magazines, badges, leaflets and Ku Klux Klan outfits.

Carrie Supple outlined the work of Journey to Justice and ran activities linked to one of the stories we tell in our exhibition, of Janice Wesley,  a 14-year old school student who joined the 1063 Birmingham Children’s ‘Crusade’. 1,000 school pupils marched for equality in Birmingham, Alabama and were arrested, fire hosed and attacked:

I was very excited about participating.  I realized the extent to which I had been unfairly treated and I wanted to do what I could to effect change in a positive way.  One of the most significant memories I have is that of the music.  “We Shall Overcome”!  Sometimes I cry when I hear it, even today!  The music was such an important part of conveying the message.  It was inspiring and encouraging.  I felt that God was on our side.

I did not realize it at the time, but we made a significant contribution to human rights around the world.  It is something that I am VERY proud of today.

Change happens slowly, but it takes persistence, perseverance and sacrifice.  Some of the battles were won because innocent blood was shed.  We paid a price for the freedoms that were obtained; some of us were bitten by dogs, some were hosed, many others were jailed.  Six innocent young people died.  Freedom was not free!

The last session of the morning was led by Eliza Rebeiro, Director of Lives Not Knives: http://livesnotknives.org/ Eliza told us the remarkable story of why she founded LNK aged 14 and all they have achieved since. She asked the students to discuss in groups which issues they would choose to campaign on and explain why and how. The feedback was fantastic, with well thought through ideas focused on e.g.: violence against women and the lack of student voice in schools

After lunch Sarah Thompson, Head of History, who organised the day, showed Freedom Summer, Mississippi 1964, a film directed by Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) about patient and long-term efforts by outside activists and local citizens in Mississippi to organise communities and register Black voters in the face of intimidation, violence and death.

In their evaluation of the day, Norbury students, when asked for highlights, said:

The Ruby Bridges story, I didn’t know about it before& was surprised how the teacher helped her.

When we saw the artefacts, a snapshot of what people from the past read and seeing their point of view. Seeing the KKK uniform was very memorable. I have never been able to touch them.

Lives Not Knives.

Using History for inspiration, to make a change.

How much people I associate with feel the same way about certain topics and that we can actually make a change.

That there was more to the Rosa Parks story.

How big the movement was and what people did. I learnt how there were many people behind the famous figures who were supporting them.