Ingram Park in Birmingham, Alabama

This afternoon I stopped at Ingram Park; this park located right across from the 16th Street Baptist Church is the location of the confrontation between civil rights protestors and the Public Safety Commissioner Eugene "Bull" Connor during the month of May in 1963. Connor ordered police and firemen to confront the demonstrators, many whom were children some as young as seven, with fire hoses and police dogs. Images from these confrontations were broadcast nationally and brought attention to the civil rights movement. I also saw the memorial to the four young girls who were killed when the 16th Street Baptist Chuch was bombed by Klan members on Sunday, September 15, 1963. These marches and the bombing are credited with helping to pass the 1964 Civil Rights Act. I have seen film footage from the marches at this park so it was amazing to stand here in person and think about the brave young people who made their stand for civil rights. 

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Tuskegee, Alabama

This morning I visited Moton Field. This field was used for flight training for young African American men who trained to become pilots in the Army Air Corps. They later became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 prohibited discrimination in training for military service. This legislation along with pressure from the black press, civil rights groups, and the support of Eleanor Roosevelt, led to the establishment of the 99th Pursuit Squadron in January of 1941. This squadron along with the 332nd Fighter Group soon served in North Africa and Europe. Their group became known as the "Red Tail Angels" because of their planes' distinctive red tail sections and their determination to never abandon the bombers in their care. By 1944 the airmen began flying the P-51, one of the best fighter planes of the war, and their primary duty was to escort bombers to oil refineries and other strategic targets in Europe. In addition to their military service the Tuskegee Airmen were fighting to overcome discrimination and segregation both at home and overseas. The superb performance of the fighter squadrons, helped convince President Truman to sign Executive Order 9981 in 1948 calling for the integration of all branches of the military. It was an honor to see the fields where these brave airmen learned to fly and served our country with such distinction.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church and the Rosa Parks Library and Museum

This afternoon was filled with two wonderful highlights. First, I visited the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Dr. King served this church from 1954-1960. The meeting in which the decision was made to launch the Montgomery Bus Boycott was held in the church's basement on December 2, 1955. Dr. King was later elected President of the Montgomery Improvement Association, and he directed activites for the boycott from his office located in the basement of this church. Still an active church, the first worship service was held in its basement in 1885 and four years later, on Thanksgiving Day in 1889, the first worship service was held in the upstairs sanctuary. Wanda, our tour guide, was so generous with her time and explained the history of the church including a beautiful mural in the basement, the office where Dr. King wrote his sermons, and the sanctuary. Her personal touch made this stop a highlight of my trip. My second stop was at the Rosa Parks Library and Museum. This museum sponsored by Troy University is located on the site of the arrest, and it celebrates the legacy of Mrs. Parks who is considered the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement. The museum opened on December 1, 2000, the 45th anniversary of Park's arrest. This interactive museum explains how Mrs. Park's decision to challenge the bus segregation laws in Montgomery began the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which eventually led to bus desegregation and the realization that non-violent civil disobedience could be a successful tool for social change. I admire Mrs. Park's quiet courage and grace in the face of such hatred. She is a true hero! It was such a wonderful afternoon to stand in the footsteps of two civil rights heroes. 

Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama

A visit to this memorial has been on my bucket list so I was so happy to visit this morning and be able to touch and explore the monument. This monument which is sponsored by the Southern Poverty Law Center was created by Maya Lin and is inspired by a line from Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, "...we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream..." The memorial was dedicated in 1989 and remembers 40 people who died in the struggle for civil rights. After spending some time at the monument, I went inside to the Center where I learned about those civil rights maytrs. My favorite part inside the Center was signing the Wall of Tolerance and watching my name come up on the wall as I watched. My name signified my commitment to stand up for others and promote understanding and tolerance in our world. I appreciate the everyday work the Southern Poverty Law Center is doing to promote civil rights in the United States.

Andersonville National Historic Site in Andersonville, Georgia

On the way to Montgomery, Alabama today I stopped at the site of the infamous Confederate prisoner of war camp, Andersonville. Intended to hold 10,000 men, this 26 1/2 acre prison surrounded by a 15 foot high stockade wall eventually housed over 32,000 prisoners who struggled to survive the terrible conditions which included lack of food, water, shelter, and illness. Nearly 13,000 Union soldiers died here. My favorite part of the tour was visiting Providence Spring. The prisoners constantly suffered from lack of water and in August of 1864 the prisoners prayed for water. In answer to their  prayers a thunderstorm washed across the camp and lightening struck the ground and a spring of cool and clean spring water burst from the ground, saving the lives of many men.  A monument now stands on the site commemorating that event, and I was able to put my hands in the cool water and imagine what a relief it must have been to the prisoners. Today the site also honors all POWs and it was so interesting to learn about this topic and remember those who have been imprisoned while serving our country.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site

Before leaving Atlanta this morning, I visited the neighborhood where Dr. King  was born, grew up, and is now buried. This historic neighborhood includes the King family home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, The King Center, and a number of surrounding residences. Besides seeing King's birth home, my favorite part was sitting in the church all alone and getting to hear a recording of one of Dr. King's sermons that included the sounds of his congregation responding to what he said. I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like to be in the congregation. Such a blessing! 

Jimmy Carter Presidential Museum, World of Coca-Cola, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights

Today I explored Atlanta. I started my day at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. This wonderful museum highlighted the achievements and challenges of his presidency including energy and land conservation, peace talks in the Middle East, inflation and the Iran hostage situation. I was inspired by Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter's continued work around the world to promote peace, good health, and better conditions for all. The next stop was The World of Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola was created in 1886 when a pharmacist from Atlanta named Dr. John S. Pemberton created the formula. I liked seeing all the memorabilia and getting a chance to try over 100 different sodas in the tasting room. No, I didn't try all 100! My final stop today was at the Center for Civil and Human Rights. There was a special exhibit on loan from Morehouse College showcasing some of Dr. King's papers. It was neat to see his annotations on his speeches. The second part of the museum focused on the Civil Rights Movement and included lots of personal stories and fantastic artifacts. It also included an interactive exhibit where I was able to feel what it would be like to participate in a sit-in. That was intense! The final part of the Center focused on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  This area talked about current issues and how the Center tries to monitor and address those issues and what we as citizens of the world can do.  This was a powerful museum! What an amazing day!

www.jimmycarterlibrary.org
www.worldofcoca-cola.com
www.civilandhumanrights.org

Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia

After a long drive from Florida today, I was hungry when arriving into town. So when in the Sourh eat like a Southerner, so fried chicken, mashed potatoes, collared greens, and fried green tomatoes hit the spot. After a big dinner a walk was in order so I headed downtown to Olympic Park. This 21 acre park was created as a place for the public to meet during the Centennial 1996 Summer Olympics. In the picture below I am standing near the Fountain of Rings. This water play area is in the shape of the Olympic rings and it is lit up at night and the 251 jets shoot up as high as 35 feet into the air. My shirt is wet because I ran through the fountain. A great way to end a long driving day! 

Emerson Point Preserve

Today I traveled across the bridge and over to Palmetto, Florida to hike along the Emerson Point Preserve. This 365 acre wildlife preserve is located near the Manatee River and the Lower Tampa Bay. I was able to explore the shady mangrove covered trails and the pups could get wet in the water of the river. This preserve is the home of southwest Florida's largest Native American Temple Mound. These mounds were located in the center of a village and served cultural, political, and religious  purposes, including being the burial location for a tribal leader.  It was a great place to hike on this humid day.

De Soto National Memorial in Bradenton, Florida

While in Bradenton, I took the afternoon to go explore the De Soto National Memorial. This memorial commemorates the 1539 landing of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. De Soto is often remembered for "discovering" the Mississippi River, but he also explored all around the Gulf Coast and inland in the name of Spain as he sought gold, land, and to convert or conquer the native people. This was a great hike as I was able to walk through a mangrove forest with the pups and they could swim in the waters of the Manatee River while we looked out over Tampa Bay. This was a wonderful local attraction. 

Hiking at Withlacoochee State Park in Florida

Today on our drive from Tallahassee to Bradenton, we decided to stop at the Withlacoochee State Forest. This forest was named by World Wildlife Fund as one of the "10 Coolest Places You've Never Been in North America". The trails here wind through long leaf pine and scrub oak hills, live oak thickets, and past creek bottoms and cypress ponds. While hiking the Tucker Hill trail area, I discovered an old cemetery near the hike. One of the gravestones belonged to First Sergeant Henry Crawford Tucker. Sgt. Tucker fought for the Confederates as a part of Company H 13th Georgia Infantry. His family homesteaded the area around this cemetery which is actually one of Florida's highest summits. It was a humid day but the trail was quiet, and it was neat to get a feel for what the Florida forest feels like.

Ponce de Leon State Park in Florida

Today while driving to Tallahassee, we passed a sign for Ponce de Leon State Park. Remembering my history of explorers unit in grade school, I was excited to stop and check out this park named for the Spanish explorer who led an expedition to Florida in 1513. The main attraction of the park is the 68 degree spring fed pool that is the convergence of two underground water flows that produce 14 million gallons of water daily. The pups were able to walk on the nearby nature trail, and they loved a cool dip in the water. I loved diving into the pool and swimming in this "fountain of youth". This detour was a wonderful surprise!

Geocaching in Pensacola

This morning I explored Pensacola on a Geocaching Tour. Geocaching is best described as a treasure hunt using GPS to find hidden treasures all over the world. There are currently over two million  geocaches hidden by geocachers. This Geotour was put together by Visit Pensacola, a group that encourages tourism in the city. The caches I found today highlighted the history of this old city, and it was fun to read the history and then look for the cache. In the picture below I am standing in front of High House, which is one of the oldest masonry homes in Florida. It was built between 1825-1830 by George Barkley and the home features bricks salvaged from British forts. The second picture shows the five flags of Florida and Pensacola Bay in the background. I love that caching takes me to so many unique places. You can learn more about geocaching at www.geocaching.com

Fort Barrancas in Pensacola, Florida

While on Pensacola Bay, I stopped at Fort Barrancas, one of the many coastal forts along the northern Gulf Coast. The first part of this fort called the water battery was built by Spain around 1698. In the early 1800s General Andrew Jackson seized the fort for the American government and when Florida joined the United States in 1821 the Navy made improvements to the fort with a force of 60 slave laborers. During the Civil War the Alabama and Florida state militias occupied the fort while the Union forces occupied nearby Fort Pickens. This produced a tense stalemate which was broken on November 22-23, 1861, when the two sides exchanged cannon fire including over 6,000 cannon balls. The Confederates eventually abandoned the the fort in 1862. In 1971 Fort Barrancas became a part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. It was amazing to see something so old yet so beautifully made. It was another outstanding piece of history!

National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida

Today I visited the National Naval Aviation Museum located on the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. This naval station is home to the amazing exhibition flight group The Blue Angels. The museum had a huge display of aircraft including planes from the early days of flight, World War I and World War II planes, Cold War era planes,  an Apollo Space Exhibit, and modern day planes and helicopters used by the military. Highlights included seeing a helicopter that carried President Nixon and the first fighter jet to land on an air craft carrier with a president on board. On May 1, 2003,  President George W. Bush flew in the co-pilot seat of a S-3B Viking and landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln to give his "Mission Accompllished" speech.  This was a fantastic stop and I learned a great deal about naval aviation. 

National World War II Museum in New Orleans

This morning I visited the National World War II Museum. This museum is also known as the D-Day Museum. New Orleans is home to Andrew Higgins the inventor of the LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicles, Personel) also known as the Higgins Boat. These amphibious boats were instrumental in helping the Allies attack from the water and enabled Allied troops to run ashore quickly. A full boat of troops could unload in 19 seconds. This wonderful museum pays tribute to the many men and women who served our country. I was touched to see two World War II veterans there. One giving a tour and one on a tour. The museum was filled with recorded personal accounts and numerous artifacts which told detailed personal stories. In the bottom picture I am standing at the ramp of a Higgins Boat  This was another fantastic museum.
nationalww2museum.org

Spindletop in Beaumont, Texas

Today I am driving from Austin to New Orleans so on the way I went through Beaumont, Texas. On January 10, 1901, the Lucas Geyser came through and the new oil field soon produced over 100,000 barrels of oil per day beginning the oil boom in Texas. Soon Gulf Oil and Texaco were formed creating competition for Rockefeller's Standard Oil company. 

Texas State History Museum

This afternoon I visited the Texas State History Museum. This incredible museum chronicles the history of Texas from the Native Americans until today. I learned about the "can do" spirit of the settlers, ranchers, farmers, Tejanos, oilmen, and immigrants who make up the fabric of Texas. In addition to the regular exhibit there was a special exhibit all about the year 1968. Since that was the year of my birth, I particularly enjoyed seeing the year broken down by month. It was an informative and fun afternoon.

Texas State History Museum

LBJ Museum and Library at University of Texas in Austin, Texas

This morning after a wonderful breakfast with a former student who is now working on his PhD at University of Texas, I toured the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum. This museum is dedicated to the legacy of LBJ's Great Society programs, his efforts on behalf of the Civil Rights Movement and the space program, and the challenges of being president during the Cold War, including the war in the Vietnam. I admire Johnson's commitment to try to do what he thought was in the best interest of the country and our citizens. The exhibit was made all the more powerful as I had opportunities to hear Johnson's many recorded conversations and see thousands of personal artifacts. In the picture below, I'm standing in front of Johnson's presidential limousine. It was a powerful and informative morning.

LBJ Presidential Library

LBJ Ranch

On the way to Austin today, I decided to stop at the site of Lyndon B. Johnson's ranch. This working cattle ranch is along the banks of the Pedernales River in beautiful Texas hill country. President and Mrs. Johnson donated a portion of the ranch to the park service with the stipulation that the ranch would remain a working ranch. As I drove through the ranch, I saw the descendants of Johnson's prized Hereford cattle herd. Johnson called the plane I am standing in front of Air Force 1/2 because this smaller plane allowed him to escape to the ranch and conduct business at what came to be known as the Texas White House. Safely in Austin now! 

The National Museum of the Pacific War

Today I toured this amazing museum. It was filled with artifacts, informative interactive videos, first hand accounts, and more information to add to my knowledge of World War II. I'm standing next to a statue of Admiral Chester Nimitz the Allied Commander in the Pacific and native son of Fredricksburg. This is one of the best museums I have ever explored! I'm bringing back lots of resources for my students and a greater understanding of the war in the Pacific, including an increased appreciation of the sacrafice so many made. 

Fredericksburg, Texas

I had a nice drive through Texas hill country today, including some good rain. Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by German immigrants and there is evidence all around the city of that continued legacy. I am standing in front of the Vereines-Kirche one of the original pioneer buildings now on the historic register of buildings. This town of just over 10,000 is the birthplace of Admiral Chester Nimitz. Tomorrow I will visit the acclaimed National Museum of the Pacfic.

San Elizario, Texas

After leaving El Paso this morning, I turned south and headed down to the border to visit historic San Elizario mission. This mission was an important stop on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro the primary trade and travel route for 400 years between Mexico, Texas, and New Mexico. It is actually the site of the First Thanksgiving in the present day United States in April 1598, 23 years before the pilgrims. It is still a working mission church. A beautiful cloudy day for a visit. 

El Paso, Texas

Today was a great day of driving. We had rain all around us but none on us. I stopped at Fort Bliss and learned about the Buffalo Soldiers. This African-American cavalry unit served on the western frontier as the 9th and 10th Cavalry regiment from 1867 to 1943.  Initially they were charged with keeping the peace and protecting settlers. They earned the name Buffalo Soldiers from their Native Anerican adversaries out of respect for their courage and fighting prowess. Read more about the memorial on the link below.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_25195578/fort-bliss-gives-fitting-tribute-buffalo-soldiers

On Our Way

All the bags are packed and we are ready to go! Heading to El Paso, Texas. Cache and Canella are ready for a fun trip! Me too!

Map of the Trip

For those of you who are more visual, here is a map of the trip. Purple pins designate overnight stops!

Trip Itinerary

I have finished the basic itinerary for the trip. It's a lot of driving, but I will be covering lots of ground. I have not listed everything I plan to do but this will give you the basic route for the trip.

7/16 Leave Phoenix and Drive to El Paso, Texas
7/17 Drive from El Paso to Fredericksberg, Texas
7/18 Tour the Museum of the Pacific in Fredericksberg and then drive to Austin, Texas
7/19 Explore the University of Texas campus, downtown, and the LBJ Presidential Library
7/20 Drive from Austin to New Orleans and explore Louis Armstrong Park and the French Quarter
7/21 Visit the National D-Day Museum and explore the French Quarter
7/22 Drive to Pensacola, Florida and explore stops along the coast
7/23 Drive from Pensacola to Tallahassee and explore the capitol
7/24 Drive from Tallahassee to Bradenton, Florida with a stop at the University of Florida campus
7/25 Stay in Bradenton and explore the Desoto National Memorial
7/26 Wedding day for friends
7/27 Drive from Bradenton to Atlanta
7/28 Explore Atlanta including the National Center for Civil Rights, the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic site, and tour the Cocoa Cola plant
7/29 Drive from Atlanta  to Montgomery via Andersonville National Historical site and Tuskegee Airmen National historic site
7/30 Explore Montgomery including the the civil rights memorial near the capitol and the Rosa Parks library and museum
7/31 Drive from Montgomery to Memphis and tour the Lorraine Motel
8/1 Explore Graceland
8/2 Drive from Memphis to Tulsa and visit with my Aunt and Uncle
8/3 Drive from Tulsa to the OakVale Cemetery in Kingfisher County to see gravestones of Ceredella Butterfield and other family members who homesteaded in Oklahoma. Spend the evening at Roman Nose State Park
8/4 Drive from Roman Nose to Tucumcari, New Mexico
8/5 Drive from Tucumcari to Santa Fe, New Mexico
8/6 Rest in Santa Fe
8/7 Drive back home