Tammy Marcelain 
Kimberly Berry The ACU Freedom Ride got off at 7:00 am this morning, with the West Texas sunrise reflected in the windows of our Trailways bus, some sleepy Freedom Riders on the inside,
Sunrise on the Windows
and our bags packed away for the trip.
Loaded up and ready to go...
After picking up some students in Dallas we headed for Little Rock, taking some time to go over the syllabus. We arrived in Little Rock and drove to Little Rock Central High School…
Little Rock Central High School
where we stood on the steps of the school…
Freedom Riders at Little Rock Central High School
and talked about the courage of the Little Rock Nine.
Dr. Jennifer Dillman lecturing at Little Rock Central High
A poignant discovery was to find a reflection pool in the front of the school surrounded by nine benches, each inscribed with the name of one of the nine students: Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed, and Melba Pattillo Beals:
Little Rock Nine and Daisy Bates
Across the street we also wandered through a memorial devoted this moment in Civil Rights history.
We left Little Rock and headed for Memphis. All of us were a bit sobered and speechless crossing the Mississippi River, which, due to the recent flooding, no longer looked like a river but like a huge, sprawling lake.
Up Tomorrow: The National Civil Rights Museum, The Lorraine Motel, Beale Street, and the drive to Birmingham!
ACU Freedom Riders at Little Rock Central High School
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