Georgia's Civil Rights Trail

Your Next Trip TV

Explore Georgia’s Civil Rights Trail, from Atlanta’s historic MLK landmarks to Macon, Albany, Dublin, and Savannah. Visit museums, churches, murals, and cultural sites that shaped the movement. This powerful route is part of the larger Civil Rights Trail of the South, offering travelers a meaningful way to connect with pivotal moments in American history.

Transcript

00:00The state of Georgia is known for its deep southern roots, historic cities, and cultural

00:11influence. But it also holds some of the most pivotal sites of the civil rights movement,

00:18making it the prime place to trace the footsteps of important social change in the United States.

00:24The perfect place to start this journey is in Atlanta, where it's considered the heartbeat of

00:30the civil rights movement. It's where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born and preached, where John

00:36Lewis began his fight for justice, and where landmark moments like the student sit-ins and

00:42mass marches shaped the national struggle for equality. One of the top destinations people

00:48like to visit when they come to Atlanta is the historic MLK home, and just down the street is

00:53the original Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both Martin Luther King Jr. and his father

00:57are preaching.

00:59These landmarks are part of the national park system, preserving the life and legacy of Dr.

01:04King.

01:05And before I'll be a slave...

01:09Take a walking tour through Sweet Auburn Avenue. You'll hear the songs that carried a movement.

01:15Stops include King's Schools and the Sunset Avenue home he shared with Coretta Scott King.

01:23And there are places where you can literally taste the movement. At Pascals, you'll enjoy

01:29a plate of Southern comfort food while sitting inside one of the safe meeting spots of the

01:34Civil Rights era.

01:35Stops and the Sunset Avenue home to an essential stop on this journey, the Tubman Museum.

01:50Harriet Tubman, an American hero who miraculously had the strength to lead the charge of the Underground

01:56Railroad, which helped American slaves dangerously escape to freedom.

02:00While Harriet Tubman herself wasn't from Georgia, Macon's Tubman Museum is the largest museum

02:06in the Southeast dedicated to her legacy and to the broader story of Black American art,

02:12history, and culture.

02:14From Macon, the trail leads us further south to Albany, a city known for its rich musical

02:21heritage, hometown legends like Ray Charles, and a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement.

02:27Here, Dr. King rallied locals at Old Mount Zion Church, a gathering place that now serves

02:37as a museum where an original freedom singer, Rutha Harris, still shares stories and songs

02:43of the struggle.

02:43And I thought I was free because my dad sheltered us from all of that stuff. He didn't let us

02:50go to the movies.

02:51Continue east to Dublin, a city that blends small-town charm with deep historical roots,

02:58and a place that was a pivotal moment of confidence and inspiration of a young Martin Luther King

03:05Jr. At 14 years old, MLK delivered his very first public speech at the First African Baptist

03:11Church, stepping into leadership long before the world knew his name. Today, visitors can honor

03:18his legacy by reciting parts of that speech in the same sanctuary, then head downtown to

03:24explore murals and historic sites that celebrate Dublin's civil rights legacy along its vibrant

03:30present.

03:31The trail continues southeast to Savannah, Georgia's oldest city known for its cobblestone

03:37streets, oak-shaded squares, and coastal charm.

03:41A visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Savannah is where we can learn more about the movement

03:45here and why it's considered to have some of the most successful demonstrations in the

03:49country.

03:52But beyond the postcard views, Savannah played a defining role in the Civil Rights Movement.

03:58In 1960, sit-ins began here. And a boycott of Levy's department store that lasted 15 months.

04:06It ended with the store finally hiring black employees, making a breakthrough for equal opportunity

04:13in Savannah.

04:17Just outside Savannah is Dorchester Academy, and it's worth a stop. The place served as another

04:23safe house during the era of Jim Crow South. And it's the place where Dr. King and his team

04:28planned the Birmingham campaign. The marches, sit-ins, and boycotts that drew national attention

04:34to the movement.

04:37Tracing this civil rights trail in Georgia isn't just a look back at history. It's a chance

04:42to stand where courage reshaped a nation. With more stops across the state, and as part

04:48of the greater trail through the South, it's a journey that reminds us why these stories still

04:54don't matter today.

04:56We've been cleared for landing.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended