This fall, the Grand Victoria Foundation’s staff and board members embarked on a profound journey through Montgomery and Selma, Alabama—a pilgrimage into the heart of America’s racial history and the ongoing struggle for justice. Over four days, we visited places that hold the nation’s collective memory: The Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, the Freedom Sculpture Park, and finally, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma.

These sites are not merely historical landmarks; they are living testaments to resilience, faith, and the unyielding pursuit of freedom. While every moment of the trip left a mark, two experiences resonated most deeply with our team—the fountain in Montgomery’s Court Square and our group walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

At the center of Montgomery stands a graceful fountain, its cascading water masking the deep sorrow embedded in its soil. Few passersby realize that this very site—Court Square—was once the epicenter of one of the largest slave markets in the South. Enslaved Africans were marched from the Alabama River, held in nearby warehouses, and sold at auction on this ground.

Standing by that fountain, GVF staff members spoke of feeling the weight of history pressing against the present—the water whispering the stories of those who were bought, sold, and separated. Yet, just steps away, in that same city, Rosa Parks boarded a bus and ignited a movement that would change the course of a nation.

In this single square, the arc of history bends from bondage to liberation, a reminder that pain and progress often share the same ground. For our team, that space became a mirror—a place to reflect on how far we have come, and how far we still must go.

From Montgomery, our journey continued westward to Selma, where we met with JoAnne Bland, co-founder of the Selma Center for Nonviolence, Truth, and Reconciliation, and herself a foot soldier of the civil rights movement. Her stories breathed life into the history we had read about—the courage of those who dared to march for voting rights on “Bloody Sunday”, March 7, 1965.

That afternoon, our group walked together across the Edmund Pettus Bridge—the same bridge where peaceful protesters were once met with tear gas and batons. The air was quiet except for the sound of footsteps. Some members held hands. Some prayed. Some simply looked outward, across the Alabama River, feeling the gravity of what had happened there and the hope that continues to rise from it.

As one board member put it, “Crossing that bridge wasn’t just about looking back—it was about walking forward together.”

This journey through Montgomery and Selma was not just a historical visit; it was an act of collective remembrance and reaffirmation. It reminded us that the work of racial justice—the work at the very heart of our new mission—is about building bridges between past and future, pain and possibility, memory and movement.

We returned to Illinois changed, carrying both the sorrow and the strength of what we witnessed. The lessons of Montgomery and Selma live within us now, guiding our work and deepening our resolve to cultivate the voices, power, and aspirations of Black people—and to support all communities of color in the pursuit of collective liberation.

This trip was not only educational — it was personal. Each of us encountered moments that stirred something within: grief, awe, clarity, resolve. Below are a few reflections from our team, shared in their own words.

“Standing beside the Court Square fountain, I could almost hear the footsteps of people who never had a choice about where they stood. It made me understand that justice isn’t a policy—it’s a promise.”
— Landon, Communications Director

“Crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I felt the presence of those who walked before us. It was as if history took my hand and asked, ‘What will you do with what you now know?’”
— Ric, Board President

“At the Legacy Museum, the timeline didn’t feel like history—it felt like now. It was a bold reminder of how necessary our work is.”
— Tasasha, Trip Organizer and Special Assistant to President

“I am reminded that ordinary people do extraordinary things in moments of crisis.” 
– Dianna, Program Manager