It’s been 50 years since Civil Rights topped the agenda in America’s Deep South, making visits in 2018 all the more poignant.
Last weekend (Saturday 9 December) saw the opening of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, a multi-million dollar facility dedicated to telling Mississippi’s story in America’s Civil Rights Movement. Located in the state capital of Jackson, Mississippi, the museum breathes life into tales of oppression and struggle as downtrodden people there in the state fought for racial equality and a more equal society. Shedding further light on the Civil Rights story in 2018 are two major half-centenary celebrations: that of the assassination of Martin Luther King, and the end of the Civil Rights Movement itself.
To mark these momentous occasions, tailor-made travel US specialist Bon Voyage has launched an itinerary following the Civil Rights Trail. The route links landmarks that played significant roles in the advancement of social justice into a moving and colourful journey across five southern states.
Starting in Atlanta, Georgia (with visits to the Centre for Civil and Human Rights and the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site), the trail crosses Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi before ending in Louisiana with a discovery of vibrant New Orleans. Highlights en route include Montgomery’s Rosa Parks Museum (honouring the young woman who famously refused to give up her seat on a bus), the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis (located within the Lorraine Hotel, where Martin Luther King was assassinated on 24 April, 1968; his 1963 “I have a dream” speech was among the era’s most definitive moments) and the all-new Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.
Bon Voyage can tailor-make this itinerary from £1,595 per person, including flights, accommodation, car rental and a personalised road-book with detailed directions and travel tips. Contact Bon Voyage on 0800 316 0194, or visit www.bon-voyage.co.uk.
