Legacy

“For the hanged and beaten.
For the shot, drowned, and burned. For the tortured, tormented, and terrorized. For those abandoned by the rule of law.


We will remember.


With hope because hopelessness is the enemy of justice.
With courage because peace requires bravery.
With persistence because justice is a constant struggle.
With faith because we shall overcome”. 

These words are inscribed on the wall of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama which we visited on our way home.  It is a memorial to the victims of lynching. County by county, 4300 names are inscribed on these hanging 6 foot coffin-like columns representing those that were lynched between 1877 and 1950, primarily in southern states.  The magnitude of this memorial is overwhelming.  This images shows one hallway.  I have included an exterior image that shows the size of this memorial.  

Before we stopped here, we spent about 3 hours at the "Legacy Museum" nearby (in extra) which documents in great detail the legacy of slavery in the U.S. from the earliest days to today. The museum is part of the Equal Justice Initiative and more information can be found HERE.  To go through this museum is very sobering and overwhelming and left us feeling very emotional and ashamed.  No photos are allowed in the museum, but this short video will give you a sense of what it is like. 

back-blipped 7-25-2022