Museums and Memories

Eighth Grade Goes on a Civil Rights Trip

Photo by Jason Frazier

From March 31 to April 4, Maclay’s eighth-grade students went on a Civil Rights trip. The trip was a mix of fun and academically focused events, allowing students to enjoy social interaction while learning through various museums and memorials.

Middle School Administrator Audrey Anderson-Jackson began planning the trip during the previous summer, with preparations continuing throughout the school year. Middle School Counselor Jason Frazier also helped by selecting some places to eat.

Students visited many museums, including the Legacy Museum, the Voting Rights Museum, the Museum of Alabama, the Tuskegee Airmen Museum, the Rosa Parks Museum and the Carter Library and Museum. The trip allowed students to learn more about various topics, including the transatlantic slave trade and the civil rights movement. Learning about these topics tied into the students’ curriculum, as they are studying the slave trade in their history class. They have also discussed racial segregation in their language arts class by reading "To Kill A Mockingbird.”

“My favorite part of the trip was likely the Legacy Museum, where the displays truly highlighted the significance of the atrocities committed, yet also how African Americans preserved and preserved a culture that is integral to American society today,” eighth-grader Medha Konda said. “The museum was beautifully built, starting with an ocean to symbolize the transatlantic slave trade and ending with a golden room to reflect on the aftermath.”