Washington D.C. : Day 1
Exhibits, and Documents, and Social Gatherings, Oh My!
Today is day one here at Washington, D.C. and let me tell you that it is a hot one! After a very early morning and few chapters read in 1776 I finally made it to our nation's capital. First stop today was the Smithsonian Museum of American History. For those of you who know me, I am a huge American History junkie. I was a little too excited to see Dorothy's Ruby Slippers and Benjamin Franklin's Walking Stick; but what truly was the most amazing experience at the museum was walking through the exhibit dedicated to the flag that flew over Fort McHenry in which the Star-Spangled Banner was influenced by. We were not allowed to take pictures due to the sensitivity of the flag, but this was just wow! This is an experience that you need to encounter yourself. Also, another exhibit that was very humbling was the exhibit of civil rights. Not only did it remind me of why I came down here to D.C., but it also gave me a chance to really reflect and gain more knowledge before the once in a lifetime ride tomorrow.
One final stop of the day that I was able to get in was a visit to the Archives. Just a little tip, make sure you reserve a spot in advance for the Archives. Even though the Archives are free to visit, spending the extra $1.50 per person was well worth it instead of waiting in 95 degree weather all day. Thinking that my inner Nicolas Cage was going to come out when I saw the Declaration, entering the rotunda was nothing like the National Treasures Movie. The room is very dark because the documents are very light sensitive and this is the only way to catch a glimpse of the famous signatures. With these documents being over 230 years old, the ink has faded which makes it more valuable to encounter these pieces of history in person before it is too late.
At night, the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights held a small welcoming party for all of the participating students, Freedom Riders, and DoE staff. On my way over to the DoE, I was very honored to run into Mr. Charles Person and his wife Joette, one of the original Freedom Riders that was able to make it to Louisiana. Quickly realizing that we both are staying in the same hotel, we became walking buddies to and from events. Once at the welcoming party, I was able to meet students from Texas, Florida, New York, and other states that would be experiencing this once in a lifetime ride with me. It was a real honor to meet every single student and find something in common with each. As many of you know, my dream job is to work in the Department of Education, and just sitting in their conference room gave me goose bumps! Here, we were given all the information that was needed to conduct this event and to make everything go smoothly. All that is left now was the event itself!