By Leilani Moyano ’26Picture this: getting on a plane with classmates, traveling, and taking your learning outside the confines of your English classroom. Well, over Thanksgiving Break, a group of Kingswood Oxford seniors did just that. English teacher Megan Hilliard’s “IMPACT From Shadows to Spotlight: Black Histories and Arts in America” and English teacher Heidi Hojnicki’s “IMPACT Beyond the Bars: Voices of Incarceration, Reentry, and Us” classes embarked on a journey to Montgomery and Birmingham, Ala. to be fully immersed in the history and culture of some of the most crucial cities in the Civil Rights Movement.
Ms. Hojnicki and Ms. Hilliard chaperoned, bringing along English Department Chair Bill Martino as an additional adult. Over the course of four days, KO seniors were able to explore foundational components of the Deep South’s past and present.
The trip began on Friday, Nov. 21, with a trip to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, an outdoor installation honoring the lives of enslaved people, a notable favorite among students. Senior Tyler Brown reflected on his favorite part. “There were sculptures of enslaved people, including people being hung upside down by their feet,” he said. “Seeing things like that in person made it feel real. You always hear about it, but you don’t see it.”
Following the sculpture garden, students were also granted the opportunity to board a riverboat along the same waterways that transported slaves in the 1800s. The day also included the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, often referred to as the “lynching memorial.” “We saw a memorial commemorating victims of lynching,” Tyler explained. “We’d seen images in class; however, being there in Alabama made it feel different. It really clicked.”
The following day, the group traveled to Birmingham, another iconic city as it pertained to the Civil Rights Movement. There, they visited a key historical site, the 16th Street Baptist Church, where four young girls had been killed in a bombing back in September of 1963. Senior Brandon Tavares said that he was affected by it. “They showed us where the bomb was placed, and there were many details, like the stained glass,” he said. “It was all very powerful. The person who gave us the tour survived the bombing, which made it even more meaningful.” Students were able to step back into a very real time in history and put themselves in the shoes of people who came before them.
Students noted that the city of Birmingham was very different from home. Senior Justin Morle explained. “People were just very welcoming,” he said. “You hear about Southern hospitality all the time, but to witness it in real time was cool. It was a culture shock in the best way.” A particular moment that stood out to him occurred in a corner store. “These older guys were just chilling outside, and they began talking to us almost as if they knew us,” he said. “It made a lot of people smile; it made me smile.”
The last stop on the grand tour occurred on Sunday with the Legacy Museum, which was described as the most transformative stop of them all. Tyler had a quick turnaround mentally upon entering the museum. “It was definitely eye-opening,” he commented. “Once I got inside, everything felt very real. It didn’t exactly put you in their shoes, but it made you want to feel and understand what people went through during slavery and during the lynchings of that era.” Brandon echoed a similar opinion as he felt it was a very emotional stop of his trip. “It taught me things about slavery that I didn’t know before,” Brandon said. “The imagery was brutal, and there was a lot of detail in describing how enslaved people were sold and treated.”
It was agreed upon that seeing these places in person was far more impactful and fascinating than learning about them in a textbook. It provided a deeper connection and understanding of the material, but most importantly, it provided a perspective they wouldn’t otherwise have received.
Justin summed it up perfectly: “The word I would use to describe the trip was shocking…but also necessary,” he said. The trip not only enhanced the curriculum but also pushed students out of their comfort zones and allowed them to confront vital history in America.
A special thank you to Ms. Hilliard, Ms. Hojnicki, and Mr. Martino for an unforgettable experience that will stay with students long after they graduate from KO.
