Clarksdale Blues Museum

African Americans used blues to tell their story, usually sad ones with lots of rhythm. The Blues Museum has many trinkets and instruments from many famous blues artists as well as clothes they wore. I noticed that many of the Blues artist although coming from poor backgrounds all wore the nicest clothes and had the neatest instruments. One man had a bass guitar that was made out of an old gas canister. Although in a small town in Mississippi the Blues Museum in Clarksdale is known world wide and even saw visitors from across the country while we visited.

Memphis Civil RIghts Museum

The Memphis Civil Rights Museum is unique in the fact that not only is it a museum but also the location of Martin Luther King Jr's assassination.The Museum offers many cool ways to learn about the Civil Rights movement from telephone conversations to documentary movies. Also there are many artifacts from the civil rights era. I learned that although MLK's killer was found there are other theories to his death. Some believe the mob was involved while other think that the government might have had a hand in it. Also It was interesting to see out the same exact window James Earl Ray looked out of it to see what he saw that fateful day in April.

Murder in Mississippi

The beginning of freedom summer in Mississippi marked the start of a battle that would see much violence and controversy in the south. Students from the North came down to the south on their own free will to try to change the views of traditional southerners as well as educate and help African Americans. Many of these small towns in the south were not used to people coming in and trying to change the way they had lived so long and naturally they met these activist with violence and hatred. These early activists were treated just like the blacks meaning they were beaten and treated in the worst ways.

In the beginning Mickey Schwerner and his wife moved down to Meridian Mississippi to prepare for the freedom summer. Being Jewish they were not liked from the beginning. Schwerner and James Chaney a local African American formed an early friendship and used each other to spread the word of these new changing times. After raising African American awareness and stirring up the black community Schwerner was targeted by the Klu Klux Klan.

The last time Mickey Schwerner, James Chaney, and new recruit Andrew Goodman would be seen would be in jail before their bodies were found in a walled up damn. These three men were martyrs to their cause and because of them Mississippi would see drastic changes.

Mickey Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, James Chaney

Rosa Parks

February 4, 1913- Rosa Louise McCauley is born in Tuskegee, Alabama

1932- Marries Raymond Parks in Montgomery, Alabama

December 1943- Joins the NAACP and becomes secretary to NAACP President E.D. Nixon.

December 1, 1955-Refuses to give up her seat on a bus and is arrested and fined 14$

December 1955- Stands trial and is found guilty of breaking segregation rules starting the bus boycott. Leading to a 381 day boycott.




Rosa Parks was one of the most influential Civil Rights activists of our time. Not only was she passionate about her cause but inspired others as well. Her actions caused the Montgomery Alabama Bus lines to rule out Black and White sections on Buses. In the video I learned Many things I knew alot about Rosa Parks before but I never knew she was the secretary for NAACP President E.D. Nixon. Another thing I learned was that Black children where not allowed to try on shoes but rather had to outline their shoe size then bring them to the department store.

Rosa Parks Interview of the day she was arrested.