weekly wrap up 6/2/17 Civil Rights and Route 66 museum exhibits

To begin our lessons on the civil rights era I took the kids to visit the local History Museum which just so happens to be showing an exhibit on the Civil Rights era in St Louis.

Most people have heard of the Dred Scott case, but most don't realized there were over  300 slaves that tried to sue for their freedoms.  Of that number 116 actually won their freedom.  This picture is of enslaved women named Winny who filed a petition in 1819 for her freedom.  In 1824 she won her case, however in 1852 Dred Scott lost his case in the same court room. 

The exhibit started with slavery until modern civil rights movement

Seeing the document to free the slaves

The kids and I learned that there was quite a few horrible instances of civil injustice and it is always hard to read and see the horrendous things people did in the name of religion, race and racism.  My kids were completely enraged and horrified at the injustice of the past.  We couldn't believe there was an Anti-lynching bill that couldn't pass the Senate and never became law in our area.  I mean really who couldn't vote for that bill?

You often hear about the Lunch counter sit ins of the 1960's but did you know that there were sit ins that began as early as 1939!  I didn't.

 St Louis  Civil activist Perry Green.    He is most famous for having climbed one leg of the Gateway Arch while it was under construction in 1964 to protest the lack of black workers not the project 

The many types of pins seen for MLK

Throughout the museum there were speakers that discuss current and local civil rights issues that still affect  our home city.

Across the hall happened to be a route 66 exhibit that MarioFan wanted to see.  He is obsessed with this road and since we live near it he wants to learn everything he can about the road.

MarioFan can name every state route 66 runs through and we have  a poster of the entire route in our home:)

Early car license plates 

Type of car used during the depression i.e. grapes of wrath, which Firedrake read and was excited to see this car.

While most think of the road as a way for people to move freely from place to place, it was unfortunately  not true.    There were books published for Jews, gays and African American to help them find places to eat or stay along the route.  there were entire towns along rt 66 that were completely off limits to African Americans after dark. :(

My son like this car:)

Many familiar restaurants got their start somewhere along Rt 66 like Steak and Shake, White Castle, Mac Donald's and a local home town favorite Ted Drewes

We can still find historic markers along the route

Portions of five interstates have replaced more than 1,162 miles of Route 66:  I-55, I-44, I15 and I-10 I do believe my son's goals is to drive the entire length of route 66 one day:)