Planning information
for Civil Rights
As the United States continues to work toward racial justice, the story of the Civil Rights Movement is crucial to understanding the past and fueling the movement of the future. For Christians, it is an important working out of the gospel. A Civil Rights pilgrimage in the American South brings together history, politics, faith, and the arts through the voices of those who lived through that era and those working for justice today.
When should we go on a Civil Rights pilgrimage?
To some, traveling in the United States feels more accessible than traveling abroad. We’re more familiar with the weather and we speak the language. Still, there are some things to consider when scheduling your pilgrimage:
- June, July, and August are desirable to travelers with school-age children since school is not in session. However, the South can be quite hot this time of year, sites can be crowded with vacationers, and airfare can be more costly.
- May and September are still quite warm but have fewer crowds since students are either finishing or starting the school year.
- March, April, and October are temperate in the South. Crowds are usually smaller, though you can expect to share your visit with school groups. In March, spring break schedules can also affect airfare prices.
- November-February have the coldest weather, but it can still feel quite comfortable, especially for travelers from colder regions.
What should we do on a Civil Rights pilgrimage?
The Civil Rights movement happened all across the United States, but you will need to narrow your itinerary to a few locations that can be covered in the amount of time available.
A large number of Civil Rights sites are clustered around Atlanta (birthplace, church, and grave of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma, AL. These locations are easily accessible to one another by bus, so many pilgrimages focus on this area. Focusing on just these cities can be done in about one week.
There is also a clustering of sites along the Mississippi River Delta, and even farther south, pilgrims can deepen their understanding of slavery at Whitney Plantation in Edgard, LA or explore the city of New Orleans with its unique racial history that gave birth to jazz.
There are also sites related to the Civil Rights Movement in Tennessee, the Carolinas, Virginia and elsewhere. If your congregation has a particular interest (a choir trip to learn about Spirituals; a youth trip to learn about young people in the movement) we can customize the itinerary. More than likely, there are even Civil Rights sites local to your congregation. Progressive Pilgrimage will help you identify those and include them in your pre-trip educational resources.
How much does it cost to go on a Civil Rights pilgrimage?
While budget and luxury accommodations are available, most of our groups choose to stay in mid-range hotels. Some groups, especially those located in the South, choose to do shorter trips of 5 days, traveling by bus and focusing on one or two cities. Groups from farther away may fly and spend more time with a 7-10 day trip. For a group of 12-19, you can expect a land cost of $350 per person per day, so a ten-day trip would cost about $3500, plus airfare. For a group of 20-29, land costs go down to about $325 per person per day, or $3250 for a 10-day trip. These are averages, of course. The final price is determined by the activities on your itinerary. Our prices are always transparent and inclusive of gratuities. There will be no hidden costs for your travelers.
Groups within a few hours drive of their destination may choose to travel by private coach. Others may fly. It is difficult to generalize about airfare since prices can vary widely depending on your airport and departure date. In general, group airfare rates are not lower than what is available to individual travelers; however, group airfare allows a much higher level of flexibility. While airfare is only available 11 months in advance, we can help you estimate your airfare or bus cost during the planning process.