Of Faith and Foot Soldiers

BY BRIAN JEWELL

There are few American stories more compelling than those of the civil rights movement.

Throughout the 1950s and ’60s, activists, faith leaders, educators, students and everyday citizens fought long odds and entrenched opposition in an effort to secure equality, respect, voting rights and more. The stories of their struggles, sacrifices and victories reverberate in historic sites and cultural institutions around the country. And they are being told in a variety of new and innovative ways by members of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a cooperative effort to showcase more than 140 historic sites, churches, museums and other places of interest integral to the civil rights movement. The trail stretches from Topeka, Kansas, to Wilmington, Delaware, to Sarasota, Florida.

Since its launch in 2018, the trail has become one of the most admired initiatives in historic and cultural tourism, capturing worldwide media attention and winning wide acclaim. Now, five years since its inception, the trail’s leaders are finding new and more engaging ways to tell its captivating stories.

Telling Personal Stories

For many travelers, a civil rights journey begins with research. To make that research more informative and inspiring, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail Alliance launched a new version of its website, civilrightstrail. com, in February.

“We’re really excited about the new site,” said Liz Bittner, managing director of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail Marketing Alliance. “It offers more storytelling around the foot soldiers of the movement. There’s also some