Annual UE Journey to Justice Program to Educate on Civil Rights Movement

Evansville, Ind. (04/19/2023) — The University of Evansville (UE) is proud to announce the third annual Journey to Justice bus tour, an upcoming summer program that will take place from June 10 through 17.

This unique program offers students a chance to explore the history of the Civil Rights Movement firsthand and gain valuable insights into present-day racial justice protests.

Journey to Justice is an eight-day bus tour that will take participants through several cities in the South, including Montgomery, Alabama; Birmingham, Alabama; Selma, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Louisville, Kentucky. Students will visit historical sites, churches, and museums in each city, including the Edmund Pettis Bridge, where John Lewis and others were met with violence during the Civil Rights Movement.

The tour is aimed primarily at high school juniors and seniors and is designed to convey information about the nation's past, specifically in regard to matters of race.

Dr. Valerie Stein, who is both a professor of religious studies at UE and the director of the race and ethnicity studies program, said Journey to Justice has three primary objectives.

The first is to educate students about the country's historical background, with a particular focus on issues of race. The second objective is to encourage students to engage in discussions about current social movements, such as Black Lives Matter, by asking relevant questions. Lastly, the program aims to provide a platform for students to critically examine and address significant questions pertaining to race and social justice.

"The tour is a powerful tool for education and awareness, it allows members of our community to witness firsthand the impact of historical and contemporary systems of oppression," said Dr. Stein. "By confronting uncomfortable truths and acknowledging the injustices of the past and present, we can work towards creating a more equitable and just society for all."

The deadline to register is April 30. Additional information can be found by visiting https://www.evansville.edu/journeytojustice/