Journey to Understanding
By Davryn McDuffie
Grade 11, PVHS, Fall 2022
Founder of Let’s Understand
In 2020, during my AP seminar class, I was jolted from a Zoom Zombie state by my teacher’s reading of James Baldwin's "A letter to My Nephew." Baldwin said, "They (white people) are in effect still trapped in a history they do not understand, and until they understand, they cannot be released from it." I didn’t understand how ignorance could be an excuse for what was happening in the world. I refused to accept it, so I had to come up with a plan.
I convinced my parents to pack up the family, including our dog, and travel the southern United States to better understand the historical context for racism. They agreed that if we stayed within a tight budget, and everyone was able to successfully work and do school from the road, we could embark on the two-month journey.
On our 18-state trek, we visited historical sites and were often the only people there. The quiet world seemed to stand still as we soaked in knowledge and felt the pain of so many courageous people. I interviewed people of color along the way and uploaded their stories to the Library of Congress so they wouldn’t be forgotten. Hearing real stories of suffering, as well as hope, had a greater impact on me than all the historical sites combined.
Prior to walking over the Edmund Pettus Bridget in Selma, Alabama, I met a man named Colombus. He told me of his experiences of discrimination and his concerns for his son’s future. He shared inspiring stories about Civil Rights Leader and Freedom Fighter John Lewis, who led the Selma March, which was a major turning point in America's civil rights movement and a catalyst for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This interview stuck with me, as did one of Lewis’ famous quotes, “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
Our road trip taught me that I will never fully understand the drivers and toll of racism. I know, however, that ignorance is not an option. It’s up to all of us to gain a greater understanding of the harmful effects of discrimination and put a stop it.
By Davryn McDuffie, Grade 11, PVHS
Learn more at Davryn’s website Let’s Understand, a resource for parents, students, & teachers of the elementary school years