WE WILL REMEMBER

“For the hanged and beaten, for the shot, drowned, and burned.  For the tortured, tormented, and terrorized.  For those abandoned by the rule of law

WE WILL REMEMBER.

With hope because hopelessness is the enemy of justice.  With courage because peace requires bravery.  With persistence because justice is a constant struggle.  With faith because we shall overcome.”

This is the text from the Peace and Justice Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama  –  a peaceful, sacred space dedicated to the thousands who died as a result of the horrendous racism that plagued the southern states from reconstruction into the 1960’s  –  and still exists in many forms today.  

In January of 2022, eleven church leaders traveled to Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama to visit and consider famous landmarks from the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s and places to remember tragic history.  We had time for conversation each day to think together about the experience.  We were challenged, inspired, and deeply moved.  

WHY IS MEMORY IMPORTANT?                  

Why is it important to consider the past?  Isn’t it better to “put it behind us”?Can’t we just “let it go” so it doesn’t have to haunt us?   These are conversations I have had with those who ask about these Civil Rights trips.

REMEMBERING teaches us to….

LEARN

From the tragedies of the past….during the “Jim Crow” years (and for generations before) black lives were not valued.  If a mistake was made, or rumors were shared – a black man could be grabbed, beaten, and lynched/hung for the crime, proven or not.  Lynchings were often public, with crowds gathering to witness the violence.  Perpetrators were rarely prosecuted and local authorities were often involved in the brutality.  Following these killings families mourned in silence and often in secret.  The Peace and Justice Memorial in Montgomery is a public sacred space where anyone can go to see the names of those who were killed.  It is silent and somber, created to honor those whose lives were taken.  It is a continual reminder of the value of these lives – the fragility of democratic values of due process and justice under the rule of law – the vigilance needed from all of us so this never happens again.

KNOW

Know ourselves and where we have come from…..I learned about slavery from history classes and yet there was SO much I did not know.   Touring the Legacy Museum opened my eyes to reality.  Slaves were hard working human beings.  Most of the time they were treated like animals – often much worse than animals.  They were systematically beaten, brutalized, raped, separated from family members, and humiliated.  These actions were considered necessary to promote subservience and continue the myth of white supremacy.  This inhuman practice continued over 250 years in the United States.   This long history of trauma has been planted deep in the psyche of all of us in this country….these generational traumas affect all races – even now – as we continue to face – or bury – the pain of generations.  Only in recent years are mental health professionals offering practical and helpful ways to find healing.  The trauma still affects our public and political life today – we read about the effects of continuing racial violence daily.   

BUILD COMPASSION

During our time in Selma, we listened to an older man tell us what it was like to walk the bridge on “Bloody Sunday” in 1965 when he was 19 years old.  He was beaten and then had to be treated at an out-of-town hospital (blacks folks were not allowed at the hospital in town).  Why did this man (and so many others) endure injury for simply walking for a cause of justice?  He and so many others were asking to be allowed to vote.  For this, he was severely beaten.  The cruelty that was unjustly forced upon this man angered all of us, and yet his story was one of great wisdom and love.  He had experienced deep grace over the years and had willingly forgiven the man who had brought such harm.  Taking the time to listen to his story opened our hearts!   We experienced this grace and our souls grew a bit more from his example.  More than just learning from history, we were honored to take some of its lessons as our own from this man.       

MEMORIAL DAY

On Memorial Day, my parents drove to the nearby cemetery to place flowers on the graves of their parents and other relatives.  This is a common practice to HONOR the lives of those we loved – those who came before us and taught us the value of life.  

The Peace and Justice Memorial site is a place we can go to HONOR those whose lives were taken so brutally – so publicly with onlookers who cheered.  The families of those murdered have no cemetery to place flowers.  Their loved one was not given a burial.  While we remember their lives, we also remember the pain.  At the museum is a wall of jars – within each jar is dirt from the location of a lynching.  Besides the names this is a tangible reminder from nature that this DID happen – that the earth was witness – that the dirt was filled with sorrow.  Somehow the presence of dirt makes this history more real.   

MEMORY AND PHYSICAL PRESENCE

Visiting historical locations offers a powerful way to connect with the past, providing a deeper understanding of the events, people, and cultures that shaped our world. Standing in places where history unfolded—whether a cemetery, the bridge in Selma, or a warehouse for slaves – helps bring textbooks to life and fosters a personal connection to the stories that define human experience. These visits also promote reflection, empathy, and a sense of shared heritage, encouraging us to learn from the past…..and, prayerfully, make better decisions for our shared future.