The 2023 Charlottesville Civil Rights Tour will travel by bus through the deep South for 7 days and 6 nights, visiting Civil Rights historical sites, former plantations, museums, and memorials.
The theme of this year’s tour is the African American struggle for citizenship. Travelers will learn about Black Americans’ post-emancipation political and cultural renaissance. Reconstruction, as this post-Civil War period was called, was shaped by the 13th, 14th & 15th Amendments. They were intended to strengthen the legal definition of citizenship for newly-emancipated African Americans. But, fearful of Black success, white-led state governments in the South gradually restricted Black voting and imposed Jim Crow segregation laws which were in legal effect until the 1960s. The tour will follow this story from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, and through to our present day.
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Escorted by the trip bus captains, your group flight from Charlottesville Airport (CHO) will depart early morning and arrive into Birmingham Airport (BHM) late morning, Monday June 26th
The tour’s coach bus driver will greet guests at Birmingham Airport and shuttles the group to our check-in accommodation, The beautiful Elyton Hotel
Upon arrival, head to the check-in room and collect all crucial items for a successful trip. After, prepare for a full tour introduction where you will meet your tour managers, hosts, bus captions and more.
This afternoon, experience a private afternoon walking tour of black Birmingham with a local historian
And in the evening, join us for a welcome dinner on the beautiful rooftop bar, Moonshine, which overlooks the city of Birmingham
Get a good night’s rest for a strong start to a week long tour of the deep south!
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Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner
Meals Excluded: Breakfast
Hotel: Elyton Hotel
Address: 1928 1st Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
This morning, we take a visit to The 16th Street Baptist Church, site of the KKK bombing that killed four little girls, shaking the nation
Afterwards, all guests will be provided with a boxed lunch meal that you’ve pre-selected. Enjoy your meal across the street from the church at the beautiful Kelly Ingram Park. Eat, explore, and take in the masterful works of art that represent the unfortunate events that took place after the bombing
Depart Birmingham and drive to Montgomery, Alabama for a visit to Bryan Stevenson’s Legacy Museum, which provides a comprehensive history of the U.S. with a focus on the legacy of slavery to mass incarceration. And Lynching Memorial, Dedicated to the nearly 4,400 recorded victims of racial terror lynching
Tonight, we’ll have a private dinner at a local beer garden
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Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner
Meals Excluded: N/A
Hotel: Springhill Suites
Address: 152 Coosa St, Montgomery, AL 36104
After breakfast, we’ll head to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which was co-founded and initially led by the late University of Virginia professor and a renowned civil rights activist, Julian Bond. The SPLC is a non-profit committed to advocacy for civil rights and equal opportunity. During this tour, guests will also receive a special facilitated discussion with an SPLC representative
Once the tour is complete, the group will head to Selma, Alabama for a more in-depth understanding on this year’s tour theme, “the African American struggle for citizenship”
Arrive at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma for a buffet lunch and tour of the museum. After, a special talk will be given by Ms.Thelma Diane Harris who was an ex-foot soldier who, as a teen, joined other young protestors like John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr. to peacefully protest the unforgivable violence that led up to, and took place on “Bloody Sunday”
Following the tour of the museum, head across the street and march across the bridge as they did on March 7th, 1965.
Next, settle in for the drive to New Orleans. Upon arrival into NOLA, you will have downtime in the Birthplace of Jazz. Take advantage of the close proximity of Bourbon Street and the French Quarters to our hotel and enjoy dinner on your own. Please remember to bring your ID and forms of payment for entrance into restaurants and venues, and payments of meals, beverages and activities.
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Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Meals Excluded: Dinner
Hotel: Marriott New Orleans
Address: 555 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Today you’ll reach the middle of the trip. Take some time to process what you've experienced, rest and/or explore this morning. Make use of the many delicious restaurants in New Orleans as lunch is on your own today.
After lunch, meet back at the hotel so the group can depart for the Laura Plantation
You’ll receive a private guided tour of the Laura Plantation. This plantation is a restored Louisiana Creole plantation and a national historic place named after Laura Locoul Gore, one of the plantation owners and the fourth woman in her family to inherit it. Following the tour, we will have a facilitated discussion about slavery and how it has impacted us today
We’ll head back to New Orleans and enjoy downtime in New Orleans
Prepare for an early departure tomorrow morning and a long day of touring
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Meals Included: N/A
Meals Excluded: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Marriott New Orleans
Address: 555 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
This morning, the staff will provide you with a grab and go breakfast sandwich that you will pre select. Departure time 7:00 am, heading towards Greenwood, MS for a group lunch.
Greenwood is also a crucial stop in Civil Rights history. This small town is the location of where Emmett Till was so brutally tortured and murdered. While there, we will pass back the Emmett Till statue before heading onto Money, MS, where you will visit Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market, a site associated with the lynching of Emmett Till
We will continue our drive north to a river marker near Sumner, MS, where the body of Till was spotted and pulled onto land. A local guide will walk with the group to the river and tell the story
We’ll end the day of touring with a discussion at the Tallahatchie Courthouse, where the Emmett Till's murder trial took place. Please come with questions for the Q and A.
Tonight, drive to Memphis and enjoy dinner on your own. Our hotel is located next to the famous Beale Street where you'll find night clubs, restaurants, stores and live music!
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Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch
Meals Excluded: Dinner
Hotel: The Westin Memphis
Address: 170 Lt. George W Lee Ave, Memphis, TN 38103
After breakfast, the group will take a visit to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. Once a celebrated and extremely successful hotel owned by a Black couple, this motel was a major stop in the Green Book. Unfortunately, it was also the location of MLK Jr.'s assassination.
We will hold the final facilitated discussion with the group at the Museum
Tonight, we will close out the trip with a farewell dinner at the Stax Museum. During dinner, guests will have the opportunity of visiting the world's only museum dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of Stax Records and American soul music
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Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Meals Excluded: Breakfast
Hotel: The Westin Memphis
Address: 170 Lt. George W Lee Ave, Memphis, TN 38103
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Meals Included: N/A
Meals Excluded: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Hotel: Final day of trip. No overnight hotel
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NOT INCLUDED:
This trip is SOLD OUT
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US$60
US$150
Annual plans also available
Birmingham, AL, USA 
