From April 13-19, 11 members of the Disciples of Christ denomination embarked on a Civil Rights Just Peace Pilgrimage. They listened to first-hand accounts from those who lived the Civil Rights Movement and stood in museums, significant sites and powerful memorials that tell the story of the African American struggle for dignity and humanity. Among them were Sally and Tom Mason. In the months afterward, they shared what the journey stirred in them and how it continues to shape their lives.
What drew you to this pilgrimage?
Sally – I was drawn to this pilgrimage experience because of the past learnings I had from going through the Christian Church Disciples of Christ Anti-Racism-Pro-Reconciliation trainings. These trainings opened my eyes to the degree of racism in our culture and systems. I am proud that my denomination has brought to light the expanse of racisms injustice by making it a key ministry. I felt a pilgrimage to these key places and experiences would only broaden my understanding of how racism could still have such an impact on our country.
Tom – I have never understood any racial prejudice toward another human being, knowing that each person is created in God’s image. I also knew that since I have not lived near this area of the country, I had been isolated from the realities of the lives that the people living there have had to continually deal with. I felt that it would be important to hear from the people that have lived through and dealt with these terrible experiences. I could then be more adept at actually understanding how deep the roots of the problem are. We still need to be aware of these roots and deal with them to try to create the more just world that God has asked us to.
What was something new you learned, or something you relearned?
Sally – Something new that I learned was the good political things that happened quickly after the Civil War, such as the election of African Americans to some political offices. I was surprised at learning this but also saddened that this lasted such a short time and that they were even removed from office. I also learned that so much of the country’s economic wealth was built with free labor and the selling of people as chattel. Many benefited from this practice, including financial institutions, businesses and the government.
Tom – It was incredible to both see and hear how maliciously historical information had been subverted from being told and how what was told was so white-washed and fictionalized, that there is no resemblance to the realities of what had occurred in the lives of people that were in the minority. You could see the reality of how systematically things have been set in motion and even portrayed before us to cause further disenfranchisement of minority races in our society, even happening today.
What has stayed with you in the months since the pilgrimage?
Sally – Through the months since the pilgrimage, I’ve been more aware of how important truth telling and reality checks are. Finding and making known all truth, without any sugar coating, is important. We need to question what and who we are as a country and human beings. We have to look back into the past and see how it influences the present and will influence the future. I realize that we still have problems in this world. People can look at others without seeing the image of God in each person. Those of us who are called to seek justice still have a lot of work to do.
Tom – We must share the information regarding the facts about what a struggle people of minorities faced in the past and are still facing today. We must share the realities from documented historic facts that we learned. Civil rights and human rights of all God’s people is the justice God has called us to champion. That means we can’t quietly sit by thinking things must be better. We must speak up and call out systematic issues of racism that are happening before each of us. I can no longer sit by quietly on the sidelines. Too much is at stake for too many people.
How has what you learned and experienced affected your daily life?
Sally – I think I’m more likely to speak out against things that are either standing in the way of people’s human rights or obvious racism. I am more aware of things that stand out, whether it be language or situations where people of color are being treated differently than whites. I also see a bigger need for diversity in most aspects of life.
Tom – When talking in a group, I listen more closely for the subtleties of language involving downplaying or making fun of minority groups. Rather than keeping quiet, I try to share from what I’ve seen, learned and experienced from the pilgrimage. Thus, hopefully giving others a different perspective regarding what they previously thought. I also work at checking my own language. There are colloquialisms in speech that I’ve used that I hadn’t broken down and examined. Some seem too close to portraying the wrong information or ideas and thus are deleted or changed.
Their story is one of many that emerge from these journeys. For those drawn to walk a similar path, Mennonite Mission Network’s Just Peace Pilgrimages continue to offer opportunities to listen, learn, and be changed. More information is available at MennoniteMission.net/JustPeace.
