Selma a Place of Civil Rights History

If you're following on Facebook, you probably figured out we were in Selma, Alabama, on our way to South Carolina. The pictures are undeniable. The Edmund Pettus Bridge is a civil rights icon. Completely by coincidence, we were here on the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, 7 March.

In 1965, 56 years to the day, a nonviolent voter registration protest was met by police in riot gear refusing to let them cross the Edmund Pettus bridge. They were savagely beaten. We have all seen pictures and videos. I grew up watching the civil rights movement unfold on television, from the relative safety of Whidbey Island, Washington. I remember at 9 or 10 years old thinking, why can't these people just get along, not completely understanding the situation.

It was a powerful thing to see what people had to go through to gain the vote. They were often killed trying to exercise their right to vote, which many people just take for granted. It is a reminder that these new voter suppression measures are coming from the same place. We always must be on guard for this type of oppression in whatever form it takes.

From here, we are off to Hunter Islands and a few days at the beach with the grandkids.

Hunting Island State Park Campground and Lighthouse

I love Campgrounds on the beach.  A few days at the beach always get me reinvigorated.  We linked up with Ryan and his family on the beach in South Carolina. Going to spend a few days here before heading home. These few days are all about the grandkids Ethan and Emma. They sure love the beach, swimming, and flying kites.

Hunting Island State Park is one of those idyllic places on the South Carolina coast, with white sand, water, and palm trees. The added bonus was the lighthouse. Just north of Savannah, it sits on a barrier island on the Atlantic Ocean. Hunting Island has yet to be caught up in the wave of people moving to the shore. The state park sits in a rural setting. You get the feeling days long passed.

The Hunting Island Lighthouse is part of the state park. It is the only publically assessable lighthouse in South Carolina. The 136-foot walk-up is strenuous on a metal circular staircase. Once at the top, the views of the coast are magnificent.

I always enjoy our time at the beach and the memories that are made. I can't wait to get back.

Natchez Trace National Parkway: A Drive into the Deep South

This is my favorite drive into the deep south.  A road that has been used before America was a nation. It will take you to what the south is all about.  Cotton fields, the smell of fresh pine trees, plantations, and most importantly, the roots of all American Music.   It takes you to the bad things to the slavery, Jim Crow, and the Tenant Farming system that was a product of those things.  It peels back the dichotomy that is America like sudden summer rain. 

This drive takes you through Tornado Alley.  In some areas, you can see the effects where it looks like the Hand of God that has struck down the trees in some areas.  The Natchez Trace National Parkway is a lonely road; it's no traffic, and a 50 MPH speed limit makes it a relaxing drive.  There still is a lot of things to see a short drive off the Parkway.  On a recent trip, we visited BB King's birthplace and Museum.  

Although it originally started as a Bison migration trail.  The Natchez Trace became an important part of commerce before the start of Railroad travel.  Farmers in the Mississippi and Ohio River Valley would build flat bottom float boats to bring their cash crops downriver to Natchez.   They would then abandon their boats and walk back home. Once in Nashville, they would find their way home by different means.

There are 3 campgrounds on the Parkway that can be used for free.  The parkway runs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Natchez, Mississippi; like a dagger, it cuts deep into the heart of the south.  It is a spiritual journey that will soothe your soul.