During the week of October 1, 2024, 41 Black students of the Black Student Unions of Vel Phillips Memorial High School and LaFollette High Schools enjoyed the Madison Metropolitan School Districts’ HBCU & Culture Tour organized by Mrs. Andrea Jones and Mr. John Milton, the Multicultural Services Coordinator at the respective schools. They were accompanied by Student Engagement Specialists Tatiana Smith (Vel Phillips) and Tijuana Wright and Javonte Walters (LaFollette) assisted with the trip.
The trip began with a prayer circle led by Bishop and First Lady Stubbs of End Times Ministries. The trip started out at Chicago’s Midway Airport heading to Nashville, TN and a bus trip to Birmingham, AL. During the 7-day trip the students enjoyed a variety of experiences that will remain with them for a life time. On their first day they enjoyed a soul food meal at Black-owned, Kat’s Kitchen. During day 2, the students visited Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. There they learned about the institution’s rich history and got a glimpse of college life. On day 3 students visited both Miles College and visits to historic sites in Birmingham—the Civil Rights Institute and the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church where 4 little girls were killed and a 5th, Sarah Collins was injured. They also walked through Kelly Ingram Park and reflected on some of the pivotal moments of the Civil Rights Movement.
On the 4th day the group visited the Legacy Museum and the Peace and Justice Monument in Montgomery, AL where the students learned the names of over 44,000 African Americans who were lynched. Profoundly moved by this knowledge, the students showed deep appreciation for the opportunity to learn more about their history. They visited 2 HBCUs on that day—Tuskegee University and Alabama State University. At Tuskegee they toured the Booker T. Washington Monument and learned about George Washington Carver, a professor at Tuskegee whose final resting place is on the campus.
While at Alabama State the students got a chance to participate in some pre-homecoming festivities. Later, they attended their first Divine 9 college step show at Miles College and got to socialize and learn from college students there. The highlight of day 5 was attending an HBCU football homecoming game between Alabama State University and Florida A& M University where they were excited to see the bands enter the stadium and perform at half-time.
The 6th day was spent in Selma, AL where students got to tour the city with Soul Journey Tours of Selma and learn from a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, Ms. JoAnn Bland who was born and raised in Slema and experienced various events of the Movement. The tour ended at the Edmund Pettis Bridge, where the students learned about “Bloody Sunday,” and had the opportunity to walk across the bridge as they learned the history of what took place on that day in Selma.
The final day of the trip was spent in Nashville, TN, where the students had the opportunity of touring Tennessee State University. Their tour guides on that day were MMSD graduates, Krystyn Jones, Antonio Thomas, and Adeja Shannon. They also toured Meharry Medical College, one of 3 Black medical schools in the US, where they were able to see Black doctors and student doctors who urged them to dream big, think outside the box, and believe that they can become whatever they want to be if they stay focused and put in the work. Finally, the students were able to visit Fisk University, a small private HBCU with lots of rich history and renown for the Fisk Jubilee Singers who toured throughout the nation.
The group arrived back in Madison on a Monday evening and more than a month later, the students and staff are still sharing how impactful and life-changing the experience was. They are grateful to their adult leaders and to the Madison Metropolitan School District for supporting this opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge about their post-secondary opportunities. Only one complaint emerged from the students… “It’s really hot in the South!”
