We are living through a very dangerous time. The immersive learning trips we provide at Tactile Education are designed to tear down old ways of thinking about history, so that students can create their own visions for inclusivity and equality.
The Deep South educational summer travel program, particularly, is designed to present ideals that offer alternative modes of thinking about America’s historical past, with insight into how past injustices have manifested into present day social divide and racial tension. This experience will give students a way to think about the future that does not mimic the past.
This type of teaching is a way of taking action against injustice, it's a way of seeing the world, while simultaneously, creating a goal where uplifting humanity is at the center of all decisions.
When entering the Nation Memorial for Peace and Justice (also know as the "Lynching Memorial") one cannot help but take note of the bronze statues in shackles. Inspired by the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin and the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa, the memoral commemorates the lives thousands of the named and unnamed lynching victims between 1877 and 1950, not only in the South but all across the United States.
As students walked through the exhibits of The National Museun of Peace and Justice, the Lynching Memorial was an experience that will never be forgotten. Students were asked to pay close attention to the writing on the posts they passed. Each post contained names of the people that were lynched, a state, city or parish, where the reported lynchings occurred.
By the end of the fifteen minute walk, students discovered that many of the posts included a short incredulous narrative of why the person was lynched.
"Parks Banks, lynched in Mississippi in 1922 for carrying a photograph of a white woman; Caleb Gadly, hanged in Kentucky in 1894 for “walking behind the wife of his white employer”; Mary Turner, who after denouncing her husband’s lynching by a rampaging white mob, was hung upside down, burned and then sliced open so that her unborn child fell to the ground."
-New York Times
Step into history at the Whitney Plantation Museum, a powerful and educational site dedicated to preserving the stories of enslaved individuals in America. Nestled in Louisiana's picturesque countryside, this museum offers a poignant journey through restored slave cabins, memorials, and exhibits, shedding light on the harsh realities of plantation life. Through thought-provoking displays and guided tours, the Whitney Plantation Museum invites visitors to reflect on the past and engage in conversations about social justice and equality.
Immerse yourself in history at the World War II Museum, where the past comes alive through captivating exhibits and personal stories from one of the defining chapters of the 20th century. Located in the heart of New Orleans, this museum offers a journey through time, fostering empathy as you connect with the experiences of soldiers and civilians during the war. With interactive displays and authentic artifacts, the World War II Museum is a compelling destination that honors the sacrifices and triumphs of that era.
