We are less than a month away from our initial gathering in Memphis on Monday, March 16, 2020, for the Living Legacy Pilgrimage! Please read this bulletin carefully for travel information and resources to help you make the most of our week together. All the details are coming together, and I know we will have an incredible journey. I can’t wait!
Staff
We expect to have a total of fifty people on the bus, including forty-four participants and six Living Legacy Pilgrimage and Cline Tours staff members:
If you’re not from Illinois, don’t worry—even all the people from Illinois don’t all know each other, so everyone on the bus will be meeting new people, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know other participants.
Our median age hovers around 64, but we range from 15-79, so we’ll have lots to learn from each other across generations!
Although this Pilgrimage was conceived by Unitarian Universalists (UUs), and UUs make up the majority of participants, we also have Mennonites, Catholics, African Methodist Episcopalians, Friends, and Presbyterians in the group, so it will be a rich interfaith experience. UUs, we ask that you work hard to avoid UU-speak as much as possible. Our goal is that everyone feels welcomed and included.
Travel Survey
So that we can make sure we are able to connect with you in Memphis and get you back in time for your transportation needs at the end of the Pilgrimage, please complete this Travel Survey. If you’re traveling by car or plane, only one person in your group needs to complete the form.
Our first morning
The Pilgrimage officially begins at 8:45 am on Monday, March 16, 2020, at The Church of the River (First Unitarian Church of Memphis, 292 W Virginia Ave, Memphis, TN 38103). You can meet us there, or you can join the group on that morning at the following times and places:
Staying overnight on Sunday, March 15
If you’re arriving on Sunday and would like a hotel room, we have a few rooms held in a room block for $119 plus tax at the Holiday Inn Express Memphis Medical Center Midtown. You can make a reservation until 2/29/2020 using this link: Living Legacy Pilgrimage Room Block. Let me know if you have any trouble reserving a room.
Note: You might be able to get a room for less using an online hotel booking service.
If you’re staying at the Holiday Inn Express Memphis Medical Center Midtown, the bus will be there to pick you up at 6:00 am on Monday, March 16th to take you and the LLP staff who will be staying there to connect with the rest of the group. You can also arrange for your own transportation to meet us at the Arcade Restaurant at 7:00 am or Church of the River at 8:45 am.
Amtrak Arrivals
A number of the folks who are coming from Urbana-Champaign will be arriving on the City of New Orleans Amtrak train at 6:27 am on Monday, March 16th. If you’re with this group, the bus will meet you outside Memphis Central Station. You’ll be able to deposit your bags on the bus before going to breakfast.
Note: Because so many of our group are arriving by this train, the schedule will be adjusted to accommodate a train delay.
Monday, March 16th Breakfast
We have arranged a breakfast buffet for our group at 7:00 am at The Arcade Restaurant (540 S Main St, Memphis, TN 38103) across the street from the train station.
You’re welcome to join us whether you’ve arrived by train or another means, but you must complete the Travel Survey and let us know that you plan to join us, so we can reserve a spot for you. If you reserve a spot, breakfast is included in your registration fee.
Parking your Car
If you are driving to Memphis, you will be able to leave your car at The Church of the River (First Unitarian Church of Memphis, 292 W Virginia Ave, Memphis, TN 38103) at no cost for the duration of the trip. However, please complete the Travel Survey, so we can provide them with information about how many spots we need and specific information about your vehicle.
What to Expect on the Pilgrimage
We’ll start each day with breakfast in the hotels. We’ll depart the hotel by 8:00 or 8:30 depending on the day (we’ll make sure you know what time to be on board).
On the bus, we’ll share a morning centering meditation or reading and maybe join in some singing. We’ll orient you to the day, then, depending on where we’re going, we might give you some history, point out sights along the route, tell some stories, show a video, or give you time to get to know your seatmate.
We’ll be on and off the bus a lot, but don’t worry if you have challenges with steps, we’ll assist you so you can get on and off as much as you want. We have no strenuous hikes planned and walking is generally pretty easy. The most challenging walk is across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. We’ll give you more information about that once we’re in Selma, and if you decide it’s too much, you can ride across in the bus.
Over the course of each day, we’ll be traveling to significant sites in the Civil Rights Movement. Some of our stops will be at small town or country churches where veterans of the Movement will share their personal stories with us. Some stops will be at sacred sites like the places where the Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo were murdered.
No matter where we are, we’ll do our best to put what happened there in context for you and help you connect with the real stories that made the Civil Rights Movement such a powerful force for change in our country.
Most days, we’ll have lunches and dinners in restaurants/cafeterias, or we’ll have them catered for us at various stops. Whenever possible, we’ll be eating at African American owned businesses.
Your job on this Pilgrimage is to immerse yourself in the experience and not worry about anything else. Your staff will make sure we get to where we need to be. We know that not everything will happen as planned. Some of the best experiences we’ve had on the many Pilgrimages we’ve hosted have happened spontaneously, like meeting the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, just months before he died, and being able to thank him in person for his courageous life. That’s the wonder of this experience!
See the full itinerary here.
Packing and Weather
We expect the temperatures to be in the 60s during the day and 40s to 50s at night. However, we all know that could change in an instant. We suggest you pack layered clothing, a warm sweater and rain jacket, for example, to keep you comfortable in any weather we might experience.
Plan to wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. You will have to lug your suitcase into the hotel and back again every day, so we suggest you pack lightly. We don't care if you wear the same outfit more than once (as long as you shower regularly!).
Those of us who have spent a lot of time on the bus have found that a small day pack or tote bag works well in the overhead bin or on the floor by your feet to hold the stuff you might need during the day.
Also, please remember to pack a water bottle. We will have some bottled water for those who need it but, for the environment's sake, we don't want to purchase too much of it. We'll also have some snacks on the bus but bring whatever you know you'll want (or need) with you, especially if you have dietary concerns, so you're not disappointed that we didn't get your favorite kind.
Advance Preparation
We strongly suggest that you listen to the NPR seven-part podcast, White Lies, about the murder of the Rev. James Reeb. It offers a powerful introduction to the journey you’ll be on. Here’s the description:
In 1965, Rev. James Reeb was murdered in Selma, Alabama. Three men were tried and acquitted, but no one was ever held to account. Fifty years later, two journalists from Alabama return to the city where it happened, expose the lies that kept the murder from being solved and uncover a story about guilt and memory that says as much about America today as it does about the past.
You can listen to it wherever podcasts are found and from this website: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510343/white-lies
Note: Be sure to listen to it chronologically, i.e., Episode 1, 2, etc., which means you’ll have to scroll down the page to find Episode 1 from May 14, 2019.
Questions?
That's all for now. We’ll be sending out a third and final communication about 10 days before your trip.
Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if there are questions we didn’t answer for you.
See you in Memphis!
Annette
Annette Marquis
Director of Operations
Living Legacy Project, Inc
Staff
We expect to have a total of fifty people on the bus, including forty-four participants and six Living Legacy Pilgrimage and Cline Tours staff members:
- Kristin Famula, staff
- John Harris, staff
- Annette Marquis, Pilgrimage leader
- Joseph Selmon, logistics coordinator
- Robert Lakes, driver
- Matt Watroba, musician
If you’re not from Illinois, don’t worry—even all the people from Illinois don’t all know each other, so everyone on the bus will be meeting new people, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know other participants.
Our median age hovers around 64, but we range from 15-79, so we’ll have lots to learn from each other across generations!
Although this Pilgrimage was conceived by Unitarian Universalists (UUs), and UUs make up the majority of participants, we also have Mennonites, Catholics, African Methodist Episcopalians, Friends, and Presbyterians in the group, so it will be a rich interfaith experience. UUs, we ask that you work hard to avoid UU-speak as much as possible. Our goal is that everyone feels welcomed and included.
Travel Survey
So that we can make sure we are able to connect with you in Memphis and get you back in time for your transportation needs at the end of the Pilgrimage, please complete this Travel Survey. If you’re traveling by car or plane, only one person in your group needs to complete the form.
Our first morning
The Pilgrimage officially begins at 8:45 am on Monday, March 16, 2020, at The Church of the River (First Unitarian Church of Memphis, 292 W Virginia Ave, Memphis, TN 38103). You can meet us there, or you can join the group on that morning at the following times and places:
- 6:00 am – the lobby of Holiday Inn Express Memphis Medical Center Midtown (1180 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38104)
- 6:30 am – outside Memphis Central Station (545 S Main St, Memphis, TN 38103)
- 7:00 am – breakfast at the Arcade Restaurant (540 South Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103)
Staying overnight on Sunday, March 15
If you’re arriving on Sunday and would like a hotel room, we have a few rooms held in a room block for $119 plus tax at the Holiday Inn Express Memphis Medical Center Midtown. You can make a reservation until 2/29/2020 using this link: Living Legacy Pilgrimage Room Block. Let me know if you have any trouble reserving a room.
Note: You might be able to get a room for less using an online hotel booking service.
If you’re staying at the Holiday Inn Express Memphis Medical Center Midtown, the bus will be there to pick you up at 6:00 am on Monday, March 16th to take you and the LLP staff who will be staying there to connect with the rest of the group. You can also arrange for your own transportation to meet us at the Arcade Restaurant at 7:00 am or Church of the River at 8:45 am.
Amtrak Arrivals
A number of the folks who are coming from Urbana-Champaign will be arriving on the City of New Orleans Amtrak train at 6:27 am on Monday, March 16th. If you’re with this group, the bus will meet you outside Memphis Central Station. You’ll be able to deposit your bags on the bus before going to breakfast.
Note: Because so many of our group are arriving by this train, the schedule will be adjusted to accommodate a train delay.
Monday, March 16th Breakfast
We have arranged a breakfast buffet for our group at 7:00 am at The Arcade Restaurant (540 S Main St, Memphis, TN 38103) across the street from the train station.
You’re welcome to join us whether you’ve arrived by train or another means, but you must complete the Travel Survey and let us know that you plan to join us, so we can reserve a spot for you. If you reserve a spot, breakfast is included in your registration fee.
Parking your Car
If you are driving to Memphis, you will be able to leave your car at The Church of the River (First Unitarian Church of Memphis, 292 W Virginia Ave, Memphis, TN 38103) at no cost for the duration of the trip. However, please complete the Travel Survey, so we can provide them with information about how many spots we need and specific information about your vehicle.
What to Expect on the Pilgrimage
We’ll start each day with breakfast in the hotels. We’ll depart the hotel by 8:00 or 8:30 depending on the day (we’ll make sure you know what time to be on board).
On the bus, we’ll share a morning centering meditation or reading and maybe join in some singing. We’ll orient you to the day, then, depending on where we’re going, we might give you some history, point out sights along the route, tell some stories, show a video, or give you time to get to know your seatmate.
We’ll be on and off the bus a lot, but don’t worry if you have challenges with steps, we’ll assist you so you can get on and off as much as you want. We have no strenuous hikes planned and walking is generally pretty easy. The most challenging walk is across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. We’ll give you more information about that once we’re in Selma, and if you decide it’s too much, you can ride across in the bus.
Over the course of each day, we’ll be traveling to significant sites in the Civil Rights Movement. Some of our stops will be at small town or country churches where veterans of the Movement will share their personal stories with us. Some stops will be at sacred sites like the places where the Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo were murdered.
No matter where we are, we’ll do our best to put what happened there in context for you and help you connect with the real stories that made the Civil Rights Movement such a powerful force for change in our country.
Most days, we’ll have lunches and dinners in restaurants/cafeterias, or we’ll have them catered for us at various stops. Whenever possible, we’ll be eating at African American owned businesses.
Your job on this Pilgrimage is to immerse yourself in the experience and not worry about anything else. Your staff will make sure we get to where we need to be. We know that not everything will happen as planned. Some of the best experiences we’ve had on the many Pilgrimages we’ve hosted have happened spontaneously, like meeting the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, just months before he died, and being able to thank him in person for his courageous life. That’s the wonder of this experience!
See the full itinerary here.
Packing and Weather
We expect the temperatures to be in the 60s during the day and 40s to 50s at night. However, we all know that could change in an instant. We suggest you pack layered clothing, a warm sweater and rain jacket, for example, to keep you comfortable in any weather we might experience.
Plan to wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. You will have to lug your suitcase into the hotel and back again every day, so we suggest you pack lightly. We don't care if you wear the same outfit more than once (as long as you shower regularly!).
Those of us who have spent a lot of time on the bus have found that a small day pack or tote bag works well in the overhead bin or on the floor by your feet to hold the stuff you might need during the day.
Also, please remember to pack a water bottle. We will have some bottled water for those who need it but, for the environment's sake, we don't want to purchase too much of it. We'll also have some snacks on the bus but bring whatever you know you'll want (or need) with you, especially if you have dietary concerns, so you're not disappointed that we didn't get your favorite kind.
Advance Preparation
We strongly suggest that you listen to the NPR seven-part podcast, White Lies, about the murder of the Rev. James Reeb. It offers a powerful introduction to the journey you’ll be on. Here’s the description:
In 1965, Rev. James Reeb was murdered in Selma, Alabama. Three men were tried and acquitted, but no one was ever held to account. Fifty years later, two journalists from Alabama return to the city where it happened, expose the lies that kept the murder from being solved and uncover a story about guilt and memory that says as much about America today as it does about the past.
You can listen to it wherever podcasts are found and from this website: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510343/white-lies
Note: Be sure to listen to it chronologically, i.e., Episode 1, 2, etc., which means you’ll have to scroll down the page to find Episode 1 from May 14, 2019.
Questions?
That's all for now. We’ll be sending out a third and final communication about 10 days before your trip.
Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if there are questions we didn’t answer for you.
See you in Memphis!
Annette
Annette Marquis
Director of Operations
Living Legacy Project, Inc
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