As my first Bonner trip, I was initially excited about the Richmond trip and getting to delve more deeply into all the history of the Civil War and meeting the Richmond Bonners. This Richmond trip did not disappoint.
Firstly, I'd like to say thank you to Sejour, Pat, Rich Wilson and G for all the work that they put into this trip. Also, a thank you to Albert and Rich Osei for driving that long drive! I really appreciate it!!
The Historic Slave Trail was a real eye opener. So often we hear about the injustices of slavery and oppression in our text books but to actually be on the site where so many human beings experienced so much pain was incredibly moving.
After some information about Manchester, we went through a series of sensitization exercises 
in which we walked a portion of the trail linked together so as to simulate being bound together during the walk. Many of the crowd expressed how horrible it made them feel to be degraded and to have their control taken away even if it was just for a couple of minutes. To be forced to withstand even worse treatment and walk the entire trail is something that is just so difficult for many of us to wrap our heads around.
We ended the tour of the slave trail with a drive to Lumpkin's Jail, previously popularl
y known as "The Devil's Half Acre," a fitting name . The jail housed thousands of slaves who were punished in the most degrading and inhumane ways possible. It was so heartbreaking to absorb all the graphic details of the atrocities that took place on that site.
At the American Civil War Center, we were given some more information on the Civil War and were able to look at a lot of different exhibits and biographies that really illustrated the war in such colorful detail. It just seemed to house this richness of information that allowed me, personally, to understand the impact that this war had on so many lives.
I think it's important for students to be able to have these experiences because there is so much that we really cannot begin to comprehend and just reading from a text book does not explain the half of it. I feel very fortunate to have been able to absorb all of this for myself.
We also met the Richmond Bonners who were extremely friendly and welcoming. It was interesting to hear their experiences. It was fascinating to hear not only a different perspective, but to also see how much in common we had. As college students, it is sometimes so easy to become comfortable living on this campus in a little safe bubble. However, I think that the Bonner program is so vital because it introduces students to important social causes, teaching them the vital lesson that there is so much more that we need to learn and there is so much more we need to do as a community to help the people around us. This world is so much bigger than ourselves but we can play a role in helping to make it a better place.
Moreover, I feel like I bonded with many of the sophomore Bonners who I hadn't really met before this trip. They are all really wonderful people and I am glad that this trip brought us together. :)
-Alaine Abuan
in which we walked a portion of the trail linked together so as to simulate being bound together during the walk. Many of the crowd expressed how horrible it made them feel to be degraded and to have their control taken away even if it was just for a couple of minutes. To be forced to withstand even worse treatment and walk the entire trail is something that is just so difficult for many of us to wrap our heads around.We ended the tour of the slave trail with a drive to Lumpkin's Jail, previously popularl
y known as "The Devil's Half Acre," a fitting name . The jail housed thousands of slaves who were punished in the most degrading and inhumane ways possible. It was so heartbreaking to absorb all the graphic details of the atrocities that took place on that site.At the American Civil War Center, we were given some more information on the Civil War and were able to look at a lot of different exhibits and biographies that really illustrated the war in such colorful detail. It just seemed to house this richness of information that allowed me, personally, to understand the impact that this war had on so many lives.
I think it's important for students to be able to have these experiences because there is so much that we really cannot begin to comprehend and just reading from a text book does not explain the half of it. I feel very fortunate to have been able to absorb all of this for myself.
We also met the Richmond Bonners who were extremely friendly and welcoming. It was interesting to hear their experiences. It was fascinating to hear not only a different perspective, but to also see how much in common we had. As college students, it is sometimes so easy to become comfortable living on this campus in a little safe bubble. However, I think that the Bonner program is so vital because it introduces students to important social causes, teaching them the vital lesson that there is so much more that we need to learn and there is so much more we need to do as a community to help the people around us. This world is so much bigger than ourselves but we can play a role in helping to make it a better place.
Moreover, I feel like I bonded with many of the sophomore Bonners who I hadn't really met before this trip. They are all really wonderful people and I am glad that this trip brought us together. :)
-Alaine Abuan
No comments:
Post a Comment