This past April 14 GCC Student Equity students and three GCC chaperones embarked on a powerful and purposeful journey to the South for GCC’s third “HBCU Tour” in April. “All the schools were welcoming and seemed to care about their students,” said GCC student Tariq Carr. They visited five historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The program included three guided tours by Alabama guides and visits to several significant historical museums and landmarks. The program provided students with an immersive educational experience as well as offering a deeper understanding of Black/African American history and culture.
The trip was organized by CE Tours and GCC’s Student Equity. The GCC students had the chance to engage with current students, faculty, and staff, as well as learn about the unique educational environments that these institutions foster. Students visited Morris Brown College and Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta. They also visited Alabama State University, Miles College, and Tuskegee University in various other cities in Alabama.
The Civil Rights Memorial Center, the Rosa Parks Museum, and the Legacy Museum were the museums visited in Montgomery, Alabama. In Tuskegee, GCC students visited the Tuskegee Airmen Museum and the house of Booker T. Washington, a prominent leader in the Black community in the late 1800s. Students also visited the childhood home of civil rights leader Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the home of American activist Rosa Parks. Students said they appreciated tracing the landmarks of the civil rights movement.
Students and Chaperones expressed that the museums were soul wrenching but reminded them of how far America has come, and how much further we have to go. “This was an important trip to make. Shout out to Student Equity for making it possible, the museums motivated me to make sure I don’t give up on my dreams cause so many Black people weren’t able to just because they were Black,” GCC student Alonzo Bailey stated.
The students enjoyed some lighter moments, such as participating in community activities such as local soul food dinners, card games, bowling, sing-a-longs on the bus and Buc-ees, a famous travel station. They bonded shared experiences and laughter. GCC Student Carlile Fiaga described the trip as “incredible.” GCC student and native southerner Tramell Johnston expressed that he loves the people in the South. “The people actually speak to each other,” he said. “Right when we landed, the lady who worked for the airlines said ‘welcome to Atlanta,’ [and] that southern hospitality is undefeated.” The students were also welcomed by faculty and staff on all the campuses as prospective students, each school for lunch provided the students lunch in their cafeterias giving them a look into their possible future. “One of my favorite parts about having prospective students on our campus is that they know there’s someone who believes in them and knows that they have a spot in higher education,” said President of Miles College Bobbie Knight.
Billi Sarafina can be reached at [email protected].