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The Southern Pilgrimage is a joint program of Monticello’s Getting Word African American Oral History Project and The Equity Center at the University of Virginia. A renewal of the annual Charlottesville Civil Rights Tour hosted by The Memory Project at UVA, the Southern Pilgrimage is a week-long, immersive learning experience that guides participants through the Deep South. The trip will depart from Charlottesville on June 9, 2025 and return on June 15, 2025.
Our aim in this week-long pilgrimage is to grapple with a version of a question first put forth by the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project: Monuments, memorials, and museums are how a country tells and teaches its story. What story does the commemorative landscape of the South tell? Who are we instructed to honor and uplift, and who do we not see in these potent symbols? Does the civic landscape show an accurate picture of our nation, or propagate a woefully incomplete story?
Over the course of seven days, this cohort will undertake a broad survey of the South’s historic landscape, exploring sites of history from the colonial era through the Civil Rights Movement across Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Join us on the 2025
Southern Pilgrimage!
June 9-15, 2025
APPLY for a spot
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This itinerary is subject to change
- Breakfast in Memphis
- Our bus will drive guests to MEM airport
- Departure back to Charlottesville
Sunday, June 15
- Breakfast on own in Memphis
- Visit Lorraine Motel Civil Rights Museum
- Final Lecture and Group Lunch
- Special Farewell Dinner
- Overnight stay in Memphis
Saturday, June 14
- Breakfast in New Orleans
- Drive to Jackson, MS
- Medgar Evers Home Visit
- Group Lunch
- Tour along the Emmett Till Story Trail
- Visit Tallahatchie Courthouse Discussion
- Drive to Memphis, TN
- Dinner on own in Memphis
- Overnight stay in Memphis
Friday, June 13
- Breakfast on your own and downtime
- Lunch on your own and downtime
- Tour of Laura Plantation
- Dinner on own in New Orleans
- Downtime in New Orleans
- Overnight stay in New Orleans
Thursday, June 12
- Breakfast in Montgomery
- Visit to Legacy Museum & Freedom Sculpture Park
- Drive to Selma, AL
- Group Lunch and Discussion with an Ex-Foot Soldier
- Drive to New Orleans, LA
- Dinner on own in New Orleans
- Overnight stay in New Orleans
Wednesday, June 11
- Breakfast in Birmingham
- Children’s Crusaders Experience
- Group Lunch
- Visit to Negro League Museum
- Drive to Montgomery, AL
- Dinner on own in Montgomery
- Overnight in Montgomery
Tuesday, June 10
- Arrival in Birmingham, AL
- Our coach bus will pickup guests from the airport
- Welcome Dinner and introduction ceremony in Birmingham
- Overnight stay in Birmingham
Monday, June 9
7 days, 6 Nights
The South
Itinerary
Esther Jackson-Davis, civil rights tour 2022
The pilgrimage for me was very emotional and, even after a year, it is hard to articulate what it meant to be a part of this experience. The pain, courage, and fortitude of those who fought the battle for freedom—and those who are still fighting for equality—was mind-boggling and left me in a state of self-reflection. I now have the conviction to fight this battle in my community and help in any capacity that I can.
- Single rooms (no roommate): There are a limited number of single room upgrades for $499 available and it is first come first serve. If your application is approved, please indicate that you would like a single room and are willing to pay the fee on the registration page
- Personal sightseeing not listed in the itinerary
- All meals, food, and beverages not listed in the itinerary (e.g., in Montgomery, New Orleans and Memphis)
- Expenses of a personal nature, including cab fares, laundry, and other personal items (room service charges, etc.)
- Travel insurance (optional)
- Medical expenses
- Costs associated with trip interruption or modifications due to weather, travel conditions, political/civil disputes, medical emergencies, or other causes beyond our control
Trip Exclusions
- A group flight departing June 9, 2025 and returning on June 15, 2025
- Transfers to and from Richmond Airport
- All activities and sightseeing listed in the itinerary
- Accommodations listed in the itinerary
- Coach bus transportation between all itinerary locations
- All group meals listed in the itinerary; gratuities for meals only. Please tip guides, bus drivers and staff if you feel it is deserved. It is very appreciated
- Water and snacks