Making the Most of a Trip to the Museum Dr. Wigginton answered some additional questions for us about visiting the National Civil Rights Museum and his experience at Father Ryan. Here are just a few of his answers. Q: What exhibits can students learn about at the Museum? A: The museum offers 260 artifacts, more than 40 new films, oral histories, interactive media and external listening posts that guide visitors through five centuries of history— from the beginning of the resistance during slavery, through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the rise of Jim Crow, and the seminal events of the late 20th century that inspired people around the world to stand up for equality. Other exhibits include: Student Sit-ins 1960, Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-1956, and Freedom Rides 1961. Q: What exhibit at the Museum moves you the most? A: For me, it is something different every time. The Museum looks at how our country has treated people of color systemically through the years, but it is not saying anyone should feel shame. We hope you walk out of the Museum feeling mad, sad, inspired, and motivated. I believe the Museum will speak to everybody—it doesn’t matter what race you are.
in the educational, marketing, administration, and development arenas he honed at Rhodes and at S.C.O.R.E. (a state collaborative in reforming education) to transform the Museum into an educational leader in the civil rights movement. Russ believes the Museum can do this by providing a natural place for convening dialogue and holding a national facts-based conversation about the events that occurred 60 years ago while discussing the need for diversity, inclusivity, and equity in our world today and in the future. And Russ has many plans for how secondary schools like Father Ryan can take advantage of the Museum’s educational resources. To him, those include developing a national civil rights curriculum for high schools, creating a fellowship for talented high school students who are interested in civil rights and social justice, and quite simply encouraging more high schools and teachers to visit the Museum as a part of their current curriculum. “I hope that 50 years from now the National Civil Rights Museum is a catalyst for people to reshape what civil rights education looks like in this country,” he said. And while our youth are the future, where does Russ see Father Ryan High School in the next 50 years? “I hope to see the demographics of the school reflective of the demographics of the community, and I hope that the school does not forget its legacy and role in the civil rights movement,” Russ reflects. “Father Ryan, its faculty, administration, and students have the chance to influence their peers in the social justice landscape. It is as prominent an issue now as it was 50 years ago.” All photos courtesy of the National Civil Rights Museum. 16
| Irish Ayes
Q: Father Ryan’s mission is to be an experience of the living Gospel while challenging students to reach their spiritual, academic, and personal potential. Does that characterize your experience as a student at Father Ryan? A: Yes, it really does. There is nothing more powerful for an individual or organization to raise your hand—particularly around things that may be deemed as controversial—and say we made a decision that we thought was right at the time, but now as we continue to study, learn, and listen we think we need to make a revision. As an organization, when you model that for your students and community, it allows them to be who they are and opens up avenues for them to live and grow. It is not about being perfect; it is about seeking continuous improvement. I hold that mentality in very high esteem, and Father Ryan has always been a place that has the courage, confidence, and self-reflection to make those types of decisions.