Kelly Ingram Park

Today we visited Kelly Park, one of the greatest influential historical sights in America. Kelly Park was once the hub of some of the most impactful civil rights gatherings during the 1960s. As we walked through the park statues lined the walkway as a reminder of  how far we have come socially as a nation.  At one end of the park stood the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of a deadly bombing by the Klu Klux Klan that killed 4 girls within the church in 1963.  As I walked up to the steps of the church, I could barely imagine such a hatred that would bring people to kill innocent lives within a church. On the opposite end of the park there are several reminders of the pain that people suffered during the Civil Rights Movement. For example there was a statue depicting a police officer using an attack dog to scare civil rights proponents. Another statue visualized the oppression of the 1960s youth who supported civil rights in Birmingham. Each statue expands ones understanding of how so many people made sacrifices so that we could all have equal rights. If anything I learned that Birmingham's history has shaped the city that it is today. During the remainder of our trip I hope each of us gain a greater understanding of how Birmingham's past affects the people that live here in present day.