Events & Activities - Civil Rights Connection at the Great New York State Fair - August 21, 2003

Pictures, t-shirts, news articles, and journal log books highlighting all the The Civil Rights Connection trips from 1996 through 2003 were on display in a booth in the Pan African Village at the Great New York State Fair. Senator Nancy Larraine Hoffmann created the Civil Rights Connection to help young people understand the Civil Rights Movements. Every year, 20-30 high school juniors are selected to participate in the life-changing learning experience in Mississippi and Louisiana. Born from the Senator's own experiences as a civil rights volunteer in Mississippi, the students are given a hands-on look at the Movement through eyewitness accounts, public service work projects, visits to historical sites and museums. Students also attend churches which were home to many Movement activities. Students learn that the non-violent struggle continued for many years and the real heroes of the Movement are ordinary people. The students are required to keep daily journals. The journals are used on the trip during discussion time. They also help the students when they return to New York for public and media presentations explaining what they've learned. (l-r)Marissa Mims, Joel Shaw (chaperones), Senator Hoffmann, Lacei Amodei, Julia Battista, and Stacey Elliott. (back row, l-r)Henry Melchor and Dave White (chaperone). Senator Hoffmann listened to some recent Civil Rights Connection students tell of their favorite experiences on the trip earlier this year to Mississippi and Louisiana. 2003 Civil Rights participant Julie Battista told the Senator that it was a real honor to be part of the Civil Rights Connection program. 2003 Civil Rights Connection participants (l-r) Stacey Elliot, Julia Battista, Henry Melchor and Lacei Amodei reminisce about their experiences from the Civil Rights Connection trip June 1 through June 9, 2003. As part if their Civil Rights Connection participation, students retold their experiences with visitors who stopped by the Civil Rights Connection Booth at the New York State Fair. Former Syracuse/ Onondaga County NAACP President Donna Reese (seated) visits the CRC display. She was the driving force behind the creation of the Pan African Village at the New York State Fair. Donna Reese told the students that she was very glad to see such young people learning about the Civil Rights Movement. She stated it wasn't just the 60s generation affected by the Movement, but all generations. Return to Events Listing