Boys Town students recently embarked on an enlightening journey through the Black Vote Matters (BVM) Tour, an initiative dedicated to educating and empowering young people about the importance of civic engagement and the historical significance of the Black vote in America. The BVM Tour is a mobile movement that travels across various cities, highlighting key landmarks and events that have shaped the struggle for voting rights and racial equality.
During the bus tour, students visited several historically significant sites, including the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where they learned about the pivotal 1965 march for voting rights. They also toured the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, which chronicles the history of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Through these visits, Boys Town students not only gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and triumphs of the past but also were inspired to become active participants in shaping the future.
This immersive experience provided the students with a unique perspective on the power of voting and the ongoing fight for equality, encouraging them to use their voices and actions to make a difference in their communities.
Here are comments from two Boys Town students who attended the tour this year and how it impacted them.
My experience on the Black Votes Matter Tour was full of many emotions and learning experiences. I never thought there was so much to learn, and even after every museum and monument there’s more to learn. Throughout this tour, I’ve seen so much culture and history that I didn’t know existed. Seeing the statues of slavery, watching the documentaries of forced immigration, seeing the pictures of innocent victims to lynching. All the hate they faced, all because they were Black. I cried when I found out Broadway was built on slave labor. My dream exists because men, women and children were forced to make it. I’m eternally grateful, yet also ashamed. There’s something to take away from this tour. Every stop, every step, every sentence. America has many flaws that keep trying to get swept under the rug, but I want to encourage everyone to talk about these problems, no matter your age, gender or race. It’s crucial to know as an American citizen the history of this country, even the history we’re not proud of. It happened, and we need to push forward and continue to grow as a nation, as a people. Yes, America has made so many changes, good ones, but there are so many more things we can improve. I hope I can make a difference, even just a small one. I can. You can. We can.
– Boys Town student
My favorite part of this tour was crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge. From the start I just thought of it as a joy walk across the bridge, but as we walked and talked I learned more and more. I learned how African Americans were treated despite gender or age, how their churches got bombed and how women were forced to be breeders. I learned there were thousands of activist, civil rights leaders and protesters who spoke out for decades despite seeing small or even no changes.
- Boys Town Student
