Selma Historical Tours by Thelma Dianne Harris

04/04/2025

Road Scholar #1 Visit For April
Today, Road Scholar Tourists visited Historic Selma. Today's group was very engaging and enjoyable as they learned the history of the Voting Rights Movement of 1965.
We thank them for visiting our city and supporting our local economy.
This tour includes Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham.

03/13/2025

Sewanee University Of The South Sewanee,Tennessee Visits Selma
Today, Sewanee students Staff Members and I had a wonderful tour.
These students stated they have gained so much knowledge of the Voting Rights Movement because they were able to participate last week in several Jubilee activities and Bloody Sunday's Bridge Crossing.
Sewanee students are no strangers to Selma because they have visited us for several times now.
The day began with Breakfast at Reflections Coffee Shoppe. Both Jackie Smith and I shared our stories of the Movement and present day involvement with them.
Afterwards, toured Selma and learned more history.
Later today, the group will visit Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Thanks to Sewanee students for also providing Community Service while visiting here for a week.
See you soon Sewanee!

02/26/2025

Yesterday, was a beautiful weather day. I enjoyed sharing the struggles of 1965 with tourists from Christ Presbyterian Church,
Madison, Wisconsin.
Two members of the group visited Selma in 2023. It speaks volume when our repeat tourists return.
The day began at our beautiful Selma Public Library with me sharing my experiences at age 15 with this very interesting and vivacious group. Afterwards we took the iconic walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the Memorial Park, and enjoyed a delectable lunch at Reflections Coffee Shoppe.
Lastly, we toured historic sites in Selma. I appreciate that so many wonderful people visit Selma to learn of our history.
It is my hope that we will Never repeat the past.
Here's wishing this awesome group even more knowledge as they continue their southern Civil Rights Tour.
As we say in the south, keep em coming Jerry!

02/17/2025

Black History Notes
These two items pictured symbolized safety during the Underground Railroad era.
Quilts were hung on clotheslines or window sils and usually included a Star in the design. The Star was called the North Star and also that it was a safe place for slaves to visit along their escape route.
The Lantern was used as a light to follow along the Underground Railroad for the passengers vision and safety.
The Conductor was the leader that lead the passengers to safety.
The Quilt pictured was designed and quilted by my Mother and Aunt and made especially for me.
I am so proud that they shared and gifted a piece of African American History to me.
It is so important that we teach our younger generation about the many cultural symbols of history.

02/15/2025

"Laissez lesbons moments rouler"
Let the good times roll !

11/22/2024

Last two Road Scholar Tours for 2024.
Road Scholar will return to Selma in January to begin the new year in 2025.
Special thanks to this tour group and for selecting Selma as one of their Civil Rights Tour Cities.
Pic #1 November 15,2024
Pic #2 November 22, 2024.
Each group featured several states and New Zealand.
Here's looking forward to another enjoyable year with this fantastic group.
Selma loves Road Scholar.

11/21/2024

11/11/2024

Happy Veterans Day to all our Veterans especially my father, Isaac J. Howard , Jr.
Thanks for your many sacrifices.

10/04/2024

Road Scholar Tourists Visited Selma Today
We are always appreciative to have tourists visit us.
Road Scholar is perhaps Selma's most frequent monthly tour group and we say thank you for your monthly visits in helping to support our local economy with Selma's history being first and foremost. Road Scholars enjoyed a delectable lunch provided by A.C.Reeves &Staff at the Five& Dime and some of our downtown merchants appreciate their shopping and visits as well. Today, twelve states were represented.
See you soon R.S.!

10/03/2024

Beautiful! 🥰🍁🍂🎃🧡

09/30/2024

Good Morning Pumpkins !

09/12/2024

Today has been an extremely inclement weather day.Praying for others that are witnessing the effects of Hurricane Francine.
I decided to do something positive and that I enjoy doing. Yes, you guessed it,
another Fall tiered tray.
Continued prayers for all.

07/22/2024

Charlottesville Civil Rights Tour Visits Selma for the 4th Consecutive Year

Charlottesville Civil Rights Tour travels by bus through the deep South for 7 days and 6 nights, visiting Civil Rights historical sites, former plantations, museums, and memorials. The cities visited included: Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, New Orleans, Jackson, MS; Sumner, MS; and Memphis, TN.

The focus of this tour is the African American struggle for citizenship. Travelers learned about Black Americans’ post-emancipation political and cultural renaissance. Reconstruction, as this post-Civil War period was called, was shaped by the 13th, 14th & 15th Amendments. They were intended to strengthen the legal definition of citizenship for newly-emancipated African Americans. But, fearful of Black success, white-led state governments in the South gradually restricted Black voting and imposed Jim Crow segregation laws which were in legal effect until the 1960s. The tour followed this story from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, and through to our present day.

The Selma Tour included lunch at Reflections Coffee Shoppe where speakers Jackie Smith and Dianne Harris shared their experiences of the struggle of 1965. The group was excited about walking across the iconic Edmund Pettus Bridge and visiting Memorial Park.

The visit concluded with a tour of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute and visiting Historic Brown Chapel AME and First Baptist churches.

Special thanks are expressed to the wonderful Charlottesville Civil Rights Tour Group for continuing to include and support Selma, as a part of their Civil Rights pilgrimage.

07/16/2024

How beautiful!

06/27/2024

Happy Thursday !
This is my first Sunflower that I've grown. Look closely, a 🐝 is even pollinating the flower.
"Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what the Sunflowers do". Keller Keller .

06/22/2024

Good Morning All, I'm sharing a summer bouquet with you from my yard . Have a blessed and wonderful day. Stay cool .