Rep. John Lewis Leads Ninth Pilgrimage to Alabama

Mar 5, 2009
On March 6-8, 2009, Congressman John Lewis will lead The Faith & Politics Institute's 9th Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama.  This year, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO) will serve as Honorary Co-Leaders of the pilgrimage.  Over 40 members of Congress will be attending, including Reps. Spencer Bacchus (R-AL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), among others.

The 2009 Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama is an invitation to members of Congress and their guests to gather across lines of race, party and religion for a unique experiential journey to historic sites in Alabama with those who shaped the Civil Rights Movement.  This three-day passage through living history demonstrates the powerful role that spirituality and courage have played in shaping our nation’s history.

The pilgrimage, which passes through Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, includes visits to notable museums such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Rosa Parks Library and Museum, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, and the Southern Poverty Law Center's Civil Rights Memorial Center. In addition, the group spends time visiting, reflecting, and worshipping in churches such as the 16th Street Baptist Church, Brown Chapel AME Church and the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, all of which played a vital role in the Civil Rights Movement. Finally, the group celebrates the anniversary of the Voting Rights March across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Along the way, participants explore the implications of their experience for their leadership toward racial reconciliation and healing.

 

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CONTACT:
Brenda Jones
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