Selma to Montgomery March

In honor of Black History Month, I thought I would write a couple of things about some Civil Rights sites I have visited.

The first entry will be about the Selma to Montgomery March.  In March 1964, African-Americans were fighting for the right to vote.  The first march, on March 7, went from downtown Selma to the Edmund Pettus Bridge where the marchers were stopped by tear gas and policemen.  The second march, on March 9, was a symbolic one led by Martin Luther King, Jr.  The final march began on March 21 and ended on March 25.  The group walked 52 miles from Selma to downtown Montgomery.  This helped bring about the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The day that we visited happened to be a voting day, which made the visit even more special.  The buildings are still used as public building, so there are not tours that I know of.  There are brochures at the Selma Library with the significant sites of the town.  Here are some pictures of the sights in Selma and along U.S. 80.

 Bethel A.M.E. Church was where all three marches began.  It is right beside one of the now major voting precincts.  Services are still held here.

Dallas County Courthouse.  The marchers would stop here to let their concerns be known.  It was the voter registration office in the 1960s.

The Edmund Pettus Bridge is the only way out towards Montgomery.  The first march was stopped here by police.

 These three signs mark where the marches would camp each night.  They would cover about 12 miles per day.  The signs are along U.S. 80.  It is very moving to see how fast you can cover these places in a car while these people walked the whole way.

The Alabama State House in Montgomery.  This was the final destination of the marchers.  They reached it after 5 days.

Seattle, Washington

I recently visited Seattle for a conference but was able to do a little sightseeing.  The first thing about Seattle is that it is a very walkable city.  Everything is close by, especially if you are staying Downtown, requiring walking only a few blocks.  It is also a very eco-friendly city.  You ride in Prius taxis.  Some of the hotels even have sections in the trash cans for recyclables.  The conference center had three sections, trash, recyclables, and compost.  Everyone thinks it rains all the time in Seattle.  There is rain, but not heavy showers.  You can walk around with just a hood on.

Of course, the first place to visit is Pike's Market.  You can find anything there.  Walk the stalls for fresh vegetables, flowers, and many homemade items.  The big draw are the fish stalls where the workers throw the fish.

The other place you have to visit is the Space Needle.  You can take the Monorail from Westlake Center (for $2.25 each way) which only stops at the Needle.  At the top of the Space Needle is a cafe and an open air area with great views.  You can stay all day and get great pictures of Puget Sound, the city, and sometimes Mount Rainier.  Many other sights are nearby.  The Chihuly Garden and Glass showcases many pieces made entirely out of glass along with trees, flowers, and other plants.  You actually ride the monorail through the Experience Music Project.  There are exhibits, oral histories, and other displays from many musicians and other artists.

A less known area is Pioneer Square.  It is the original area of Seattle.  There are some original buildings, a Pagoda, and a (not original) totem pole dedicated to Chief Seattle.  The Underground Tour that will take you to see all the tunnels and underground areas of the city starts here.  Take a bus (they run in a tunnel under the city) to Yesler Way and walk down to the square.  Yesler Way is the orginial Skid Row (called that because loggers would skid the logs down the road to the harbor). Do visit this area during the day time.  There are a lot of bars and shelters nearby.

Near Pioneer Square is the Smith Building.  When it was built in the early 1900s, it was one of the tallest buildings west of the Mississippi at 45 stories.  Now you can ride up the (original) elevator to the top to also get great views of the city, including the Space Needle.  ***Tip-This is a cheaper alternative to the Needle.  It costs $7.50 for the Smith Building while the Needle is $19.  You do not get up as high as the needle though***