Jeff Steinberg at Huffman High Sept. 15 – the anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing

“You might be someone’s hope someday … you might help someone live another day.”

Elizabeth Eckford is one of the Little Rock Nine – one of the first African-American students to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.

She has long suffered with stress and trauma after she was barred from the school by an angry mob because of her civil rights stand. She’s admitted that encouragement from others has helped her live to see better days.

Jeff Steinberg includes her story, and that of other key figures, as part of his Sojourn to the Past civil rights movement tour. Tuesday, Sept. 15 he addressed Huffman High School students and staff on the 52nd anniversary of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham.

Sojourn to the Past from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

Steinberg introduced Lisa McNair during his presentation, who became emotional as she spoke briefly to the audience and reflected on the bombing that killed her sister, Denise McNair, along with Carole Robertson, Addie Mae Collins and Cynthia Wesley.

“It’s important that we support programs like these in order that we never forget the lessons of the movement, nor the people who forged them,” said McNair.

Lisa McNair: ” ‘Sojourn to the Past’ ensures these folks that fought peacefully and died in the movement did not do so in vain.”

During his presentation, Steinberg also allowed nearly 40 students to speak to Eckford by phone. They made a pledge to her – to stand up for civil rights for every person, regardless of their backgrounds or ethnicity.

Reminding students of both the physical and emotional scars of the civil rights movement, Steinberg pointed to the stories of McNair and Eckford.

Steinberg said he considers it his responsibility to share their stories – and that of other civil rights leaders – with students across the country.

Sojourn’s roots

Sojourn to the Past is a nationally-honored living history program and is recognized as the only social justice/civil rights program of its kind for youths. It began in 1999 and is based in California.

Steinberg, a former history teacher, transitioned out of the classroom and decided to take his love of history on the road. The Eckford and McNair stories are just two examples of what he shares with students on these Sojourn tours.

In a nutshell, the program teaches human rights lessons that are relevant to current societal issues such as bullying, violence, hatred and discrimination.

Sojourn is endorsed by nationally-recognized scholars and historians. Through these tours, Steinberg invites students to travel through five Southern states to meet veterans of the civil rights movement.

Guiding Principles

Selma, one of the stops on the tour, features a mural honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Sojourn’s mission is to empower a new generation of leaders to become successful and engaged citizens who promote social justice through the principles of nonviolence,” said Steinberg.

Teaching while speaking to the students and staff at Huffman, he distributed a handout that included the “Six Principles of Nonviolence” from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

These principles state:

1. Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people.
2. Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
3. Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
4. Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform.
5. Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate.
6. Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.

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Civil rights monument in Selma honors U.S. Rep. John Lewis.

Other Sojourn to the Past speakers and stories have included:

• S. Rep. John Lewis: civil rights activist and Troy native who withstood numerous beatings before being elected to Congress.
• The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth: leading civil rights activist and minister in Birmingham who died in 2011.
• Minnijean Brown Trickey: one of Little Rock Nine; integrated Little Rock Central High.
• Myrlie Evers-Williams and Reena Evers (daughter): husband, father and civil rights leader Medgar Evers, killed in front of their Mississippi home.
• Jerry Mitchell: civil rights reporter who exposed the Sovereignty Commission.

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Go to Sojourn to the Past for more information.