Response | A Leading Lady Takes a Civil Rights Journey

Judy, I read with painful interest your trips to civil rights ( or wrongs) sites in several southern states. I was born in Montgomery and many family members still live there so I have re-visited periodically and am familiar with all  the Montgomery sites. To put a face on the contradictions of “ The South” -in the 90’s my beloved Aunt Catherine berated me when she discovered I was supporting SPLC while her youngest child was happily married to a black man!

When I marched with Dr. King in Lexington Kentucky in 1965 I remember reflecting that one of my proudest moments as a child in Montgomery had been standing on the star at the State House where Jefferson Davis took his oath as president of the Confederacy, looking down over Montgomery with its war statuary ( and now towards the water flowing down at SPLC!) So complicated! So twisted! So frighteningly still present.

Hope to see you soon — I’m nursing an activist injury — 3 weeks of inflamed arm muscles from holding protest signs!

Eileen Reilly