Today we explore Atlanta, including visits to MLK’s neighborhood of Sweet Auburn, a historic African American neighborhood that was the center of Black commerce and the largest concentration of Black-owned businesses in the US. We’ll visit the MLK Home and Ebenezer Baptist Church, rounding out our understanding of the Rev. Dr. King’s early life, education, and early call. In the later afternoon, we’ll depart Atlanta for Birmingham, arriving in time for dinner (on your own). Overnight Tutwiler Hotel, Birmingham. 

Our time in Birmingham starts this morning with a visit to the 16th Street Baptist Church, site of the terrorist bombing that took the lives of Addie Mae Collins, Carol McNair, Cynthia Wesley, and Carole Robertson on September 15, 1963. We’ll visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, just across the street, before pausing for lunch (included). Departing BCRI, we’ll visit Kelly Ingram Park, site of many of Bull Connor’s violent attacks on peaceful protestors. From Kelly Ingram Park, we’ll depart for our driving tour of Birmingham with our expert local guide. Dinner (on your own) and overnight Tutwiler Hotel, Birmingham.

Today, we depart Birmingham early so we can have a full day in Montgomery. We arrive at 9:30 at the Equal Justice Institute’s Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. This day will be mostly self-guided; we will start together at the Museum, but you will be on your own for lunch and will take the provided shuttle to the National Memorial. Dinner (on your own) and overnight Renaissance Montgomery.

Today, we spend more time in Montgomery, digging into the deep racial history of this town with our guide, Wanda Battle. We’ll begin with a visit to the Rosa Parks Museum. Following the Museum, we’ll visit Rosa’s apartment and other significant historical sites, including Holt Street Baptist Church, Dexter Avenue Baptist, and the Women of Gynecology exhibit. Dinner is on your own and overnight Renaissance Montgomery.

We travel to Selma today, visiting Brown Chapel AME church, the church that launched the Selma to Montgomery march, the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge, and the National Voting Rights Museum. Lunch (included). In the afternoon, we will have free time for unpacking our experiences once we return to Montgomery. We’ll gather in the evening for worship and our closing dinner (included). Overnight  Renaissance Montgomery.

Your morning is free to say goodbye to Montgomery before departing around 11am for Atlanta. We arrive in Atlanta by 2pm and depart on Delta 836 to Phoenix, leaving at 4:25pm and arriving in Phoenix at 5:32pm.