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About The U.S. Trip

About The U. S. Trip

SankofaNow USA is a comprehensive 8 to 12-session racial healing and unity program tailored for churches and Christian institutions, which encompasses colleges and universities. The program culminates in an impactful 4-day journey through the Southern United States. Through a blend of films, lectures, dialogue, and discussion, we explore diverse dimensions of racial reconciliation, human wholeness, and flourishing – from historical and scientific to theological, psychological, sociological, and artistic perspectives.

This transformative journey includes visits to significant historical sites and pertinent educational institutions. Participants engage with local educators and other stakeholders, fostering insightful discussions. Notable destinations comprise Selma, AL, the poignant site of Bloody Sunday, and the National Voting Rights Museum. Memphis, TN brings a visit to the Lorraine Motel, where the revered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was tragically assassinated. The Underground Railroad Network is represented by Jacob Burkle’s home. The journey further extends to The National Museum of Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL, among other sites.

Each trip is meticulously tailored to cater to the unique requirements of individual groups, ensuring a truly meaningful and impactful experience.

Thursday | Evening

DEPARTURE

Our usual departure is on Thursday evening, accompanied by an overnight journey on the bus. This bus serves as a dynamic mobile classroom, facilitating discussions around pertinent documentaries and films. Additionally, it offers an ideal environment for paired participants to forge deeper connections and understanding.

Friday | 16th St. Baptist Church

Birmingham, AL

Historic Baptist Church, situated in Birmingham’s Commercial District, was the site of a heinous crime Dr. King later labeled “one of the most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.” This incident involved a bombing that claimed the lives of four African American girls: 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, and 11-year-old Cynthia Wesley. Additionally, the blast permanently blinded Susan, Addie’s surviving sister.

Today, following restoration efforts, the church stands as a powerful symbol of hope and renewal.

Friday | Tuskegee University

TUSKEGEE, AL

The school was founded on July 4, 1881, as the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers. Now Tuskegee University, it has a storied history with famous Black educators such as Booker T. Washington, and George Washington Carver. It remains  a model of Black uplift and ingenuity.

Friday| National Memorial for Peace & Justice 

Montgomery, AL

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice is the first memorial of it kind dedicated to the victims of lynching in the United States. it provides space for truth-telling, personal reflections, healing, hope and reconciliation. We will also have the opportunity to hear more about the work of EJI –Equal Justice Initiative and Bryan Stevenson- featured in the movie Just Mercy

 

Saturday| National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel

Memphis, TN

Built on the very site of Dr. King’s assassination, The National Civil Rights Museum, ” is steadfast in its mission to share the culture and lessons from the American Civil Rights Movement and explore how this significant era continues to shape equality and freedom globally.” It is a source of inspiration for those who desire to make this country a better place for all.

Saturday| Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum 

Memphis, TN

Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum  is one of very few privately-run museums located on the property of of Jacob Burkle, a German immigrant who risked his life and that of his family to help escaped African slaves. His story and the museum are testament of courage and commitment to do what is right. Here, we learn about some of the ingenious means of communication of the Underground Railroad network.

 

Saturday & Sunday| Beale Street & Church Service

Memphis, TN & Ferguson, MO

No trip is complete without a stop at historic Beale Street for a chance to savor some real Southern Cuisine and entertainment. Beale Street has the distinction of being once the only place where People of Color could shop and eat in Memphis, but is now an integrated hotspot in Memphis. Wee conclude the trip with a brief tour of Ferguson and attend a church service in the area before we head back!

 

OUR APPROACH

This immersion trip employs inter-group dialogue strategies under the guidance of experienced leaders. Its purpose is to create a holistic impact encompassing the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical aspects of each participant.

Comprehensive Approach – This program aims to influence the entirety of an individual – mind, heart, and body. While the mental and emotional dimensions are apparent, the physical toll of enduring racism, injustice, and trauma, as well as re-traumatization, has often been overlooked. We understand that emotional trauma can manifest physically.

Diverse Exploration – The history of race, racism, and Africans in the New World is complex, with motivations spanning various perspectives. Unraveling this history demands engaging with the multifaceted arguments that have shaped existing narratives. These arguments range across disciplines like theology, science, history, sociology, and psychology, and will be explored through readings and discussions.

Immersive Engagement – This journey is meticulously crafted to bring participants in direct contact with the daily realities of life within the country. We actively seek interactions with local professionals, artisans, educators, and more. Unlike a typical tourist experience, this is an educational endeavor designed to provoke thought and transformation. While we may visit numerous locations, our intent and motivation differ – our focus is education and transformation.

REFERENCES

(1)L Comas-Díaz and F M Jacobsen, “Ethnocultural Allodynia,” The Journal Of Psychotherapy Practice And Research 10, no. 4 (2001 Fall 2001): 246–52.

(2)Allison Crawford, “If ‘The Body Keeps the Score’: Mapping the Dissociated Body in Trauma Narrative, Intervention, and Theory,” no. 2 (2010): 702, https://doi.org/10.1353/utq.2010.0231.