"...such a book is sorely needed!" -- Dr. Terrence Roberts, member, Little Rock Nine
"...a must read." -- Patrick Weems, Director, Emmett Till Interpretive Center
The US civil rights movement was one of the most important and patriotic eras in the nation's history. Travel to experience and understand this consequential history is both rewarding and challenging.
Planning such a journey isn't easy. The distances to and between the places where this history happened are long...and distances are but one factor the cultural heritage traveler faces. Others include gathering the necessary information on when museums, historic homes and churches, and other places of interest are open and when making appointments to visit are a must.
Traveling Freedom's Road: A Guide to Our Civil Rights History makes this important journey both easier and more meaningful. Not only are readers provided with comprehensive planning information on destination cities where this history occurred but they also benefit from narratives related to the people who made the civil rights movement one of the highest expressions of faith in our founding principles.
The book consistently shines a spotlight on many less-well-known individuals, especially women like Jo Ann Robinson, Modjeska Simkins, and Edna Griffin, whose bravery and sacrifices brought important change to the country. Engaging stories and sidebars throughout the book inform readers about topics like:
- How Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to lead the 1955/56 Montgomery Bus Boycott
- What shameful act of racial discrimination led singer-songwriter Sam Cooke to write "A Change is Gonna Come" in 1963
- How student volunteers coming to Mississippi for Freedom Summer in 1964 were prepared for their challenging work
Readers, whether they choose to travel or opt to experience this history from their armchair receive:
- Detailed guidance and history on over a dozen destinations that represent some of greatest triumphs (Montgomery, Birmingham, Little Rock, etc.) and tragedies (Memphis, Philadelphia MS, and the Mississippi Delta) of the civil rights era.
- Full chapters containing relevant sites in 14 Southern states.
- Coverage of historic places germane to civil rights and African American history in 24 of the remaining 36 states plus Washington DC. This geographically-comprehensive approach encourages those less able to journey to the South to visit sites closer to their own homes.
- A richly-illustrated, professionally-designed book complete with a comprehensive index and endnotes pointing toward some of the best scholarship on the heroic people and change-making events covered.
- Resources for parents and teachers to generate awareness of and an interest in civil rights history among children and teens.
Traveling Freedom's Road: A Guide to Exploring Our Civil Rights History is comprehensive, current, and compelling.
Profits from the book benefit the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama and the Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.
What a true civil rights era hero, Dr. Terrence Roberts, says about Traveling Freedom's Road:
"This enhanced guide will...excite your spirit of inquiry, lead to growth in your fund of information, and provide a clearer picture of how the continuing battle for civil rights for all can help us form that more perfect union alluded to in our national narrative. ... such a book is sorely needed!"
----Dr. Terrence Roberts, a member of the Little Rock Nine