For a group of DePauw University students, fall break was not only a time for rest but also a journey into the heart of the American Civil Rights Movement. A university-sponsored trip to Alabama turned history into a transformative experience, leaving participants with a sobering yet hopeful perspective on the nation’s past and present.
The trip took students to pivotal sites across the state, including the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery and the historic 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. For many, walking the ground where seminal events unfolded provided a depth of understanding that textbooks cannot.
“The sites and museums we visited were more impactful than my history classes combined, leaving a lasting impression,” said Kalina Dickinson '26.
The journey’s most powerful moment for Dickinson was a meeting with Della Simpson Maynor, who was a teenager when she participated in the movement as a “foot soldier.”
“As a history nerd, being in the same room as Maynor and listening to her experiences and advice was riveting,” Dickinson said. “But the encounter also served as a haunting reminder that such violence was not all that long ago and that such residuals of hate continue to exist today.”
For international students, the trip offered a window into American history and its enduring social dynamics. “You can watch American movies and read the news, but you don’t truly understand the country until you confront this history,” another student shared. “Seeing where these struggles actually happened and hearing firsthand accounts provided a necessary context for the America we experience today.”
The itinerary spanned a difficult history, from the era of transatlantic slavery through the Civil Rights Movement to discussions of contemporary racial injustices. Students described the content as heavy and sobering, confronting the brutal realities of racial violence and systemic oppression.
Yet, from that weight emerged a sense of inspiration. Students pointed to the strategic organization, the absolute bravery of ordinary individuals and the powerful sense of community that defined the movement.
“Especially in today’s political climate, the history and strategies of the Civil Rights Movement, the absolute bravery of ordinary individuals, and the strong sense of community and reliance on one together, offers a powerful example for such organization to happen again,” Dickinson reflected. “And that gives me hope.”
The DePauw Civil Rights Fall Break Trip is designed to bridge academic learning with experiential engagement. By connecting students directly with the places and people who shaped history, the program aims to foster a deeper understanding of the ongoing struggle for justice and the role individuals can play in creating change.
