In honor of the 50th anniversary of the integration of the University, students have the opportunity to go on a free trip to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Feb. 24.
The event is open to all students who register at www.uaferguson.tix.com. Check-in begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Ferguson Plaza. The buses will depart from the Ferguson Center at noon and return at 4 p.m.
“Dr. Jimmy Williams from the College of Arts and Sciences approached our office about collaborating on this event,” Shannon Rice, the event programmer for University Programs, said. “They wanted to take a large group of students to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute for a tour that would be relevant and engaging for them. As we worked together, we devised a Twitter trivia game and also worked with the Crossroads Community Center to incorporate a sustained dialogue into the event to give students the opportunity to discuss what they had learned.”
In addition to its regular exhibits, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is currently showing “Black from the Heart of Dixie: Famous African American Alabamians,” so students will have a special opportunity to explore Alabama’s role in African-American history.
Rice said students will benefit from this trip and learn about Birmingham’s role in the civil rights movement by taking a closer look into what life was like in the South during that time period. She also believes students will gain knowledge from the sustained dialogue discussion by interacting with others and participating in the discussion.
“I do feel that it is important for students to take part in this trip, because as we enter the University’s 50th Anniversary of Integration as well as African-American Heritage Month, we aim to celebrate the Capstone history and honor the progress we have made since,” Rice said.
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