WS Chronicle

By David Winship

If the holiday season of December seems an odd time to hold a bus ride through Winston-Salem, visiting notable locations and events of Black history, consider that on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was riding a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, after a hard day of work. When asked by the bus driver to move from her seat to the back of the bus so that a white rider could have her seat, Mrs. Parks refused to give up her seat.

“When he saw me still sitting, he asked if I was going to stand up, and I said, ‘No, I’m not.’ The bus driver then said, ‘Well, if you don’t stand up, I’m going to have to call the police and have you arrested.’ I said, ‘You may do that.'” 

Rosa Parks’ arrest was the catalyst that the newly formed Montgomery Improvement Association needed to organize a boycott of the city’s buses on Dec. 5.

The Drum Major Alliance, along with its sibling organization Lit City, is once again offering Freedom Rides in Winston-Salem on Dec. 7 and 8. The Freedom Ride is a local pilgrimage that explores the stories of Black faith, courage, creativity, and power-building in the face of oppression. 

The Freedom Rides will occur on Saturday, Dec. 7, with three opportunities, 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m., or 3:30 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. or 5 p.m. Each pilgrimage is approximately two and a half hours. Participants board a van at the Old Salem Visitor Center, 900 N. Old Salem Road, and ride to historic sites in the city of Winston-Salem. 

One of the sites will include the historical marker in downtown Winston-Salem, near the site of the old F.W. Woolworth’s, which commemorates the 1960 sit-in. Leaders will discuss the important roles of the Black Panther Party and the R.J. Reynolds strike. The bus will traverse the Black neighborhoods which were razed and separated by Hwy. 52 during urban renewal and removal of the 1960s. At each site, stories are raised that demonstrate – in the words of James Baldwin – that “we are trapped in a history, and  a history is trapped in us.”

The Drum Majors Alliance and Lit City have facilitated Freedom Rides since 2012 and hundreds of folks have had this incredible experience (this writer included). This particular Freedom Ride is a fundraiser for the youth development work of Lit City. All proceeds help their grassroots efforts to build in solidarity with and to enrich the lives of Black youth in Winston-Salem. The required donation for the ride is $25, but any donation beyond that amount is very appreciated. 

Go to bit.ly/RideFreedom24 to access links to RSVP. For more info email at litcityws@gmail.com.

Drum Majors Alliance for Justice & Peace is a Black led, multi-racial, Winston-Salem based coalition of activists seeking to do justice, love mercy, and walk in humble reflection of Jesus of Nazareth. Its mission is to equip, organize, and mobilize disciples of Jesus to be drum majors for justice and peace in the world, and revolutionary oneness in the Church. Its name is derived from the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said, “I want to be remembered as a drum major for justice.” Lit City youth development does leadership development, mentoring and advocacy, sports and fitness, and arts with students on the margins.

David Winship has extended his interest in Black history to the Piedmont region and Winston-Salem in particular from his home in southern Appalachia. A public school educator during his career, he writes for community education, as well as sharing stories and poetry. He is a member of Winston-Salem Writers.