One by one, each pilgrim arrived. Before boarding the bus to embark on MD Slavery Pilgrimage, we took a moment to circle up for introductions. Looking at the faces around the circle, our eyes said some of us were still waking up, but our spirits were fully awake with anticipation for what was in store.
Our first stop was a couple of hours away which gave author and anthropologist Dr. Angela Howell time to usher us into the experience during our bus ride. It was almost like time travel as she acclimated us to the historical context we were entering. Historic Sotterley was our first stop on the pilgrimage. The tour guide who greeted us was a gift; her enthusiasm for teaching an unvarnished and truthful history was refreshing although the history itself was very unsettling. Following the tour, we were allowed to wander and explore the property on our own, closing our time there with lunch and a very meaningful time of hearing stories from the descendants of Sotterley, one descendant of the enslaved and one descendant of the enslaver.
As we left Sotterley, it was clear that most of us were deep in thought; we could have stopped our pilgrimage at this point and felt like we were filled up. But there was so much more in store for us; our next stop was the Banneker-Douglas(-Tubman) Museum in Annapolis, MD which helped us bridge the historical gap between slavery and the ongoing struggle for Civil Rights. Our docent, LeRonn Herbert, was excellent! He not only made us excited about the movement of God in the story of Black people in the United States, he also reminded us of the hope we can have in a future where the soil of justice continues to be tilled. At the end of our tour, we loaded back onto our awaiting chariot to head for our lodging for the night. Shout out to our amazing bus driver, Christine, who made sure we arrived safely and on time to all of our stops.
Cambridge, MD is where we stopped for the night. We slowly filed off the bus again and checked into our accommodations before meeting for a debrief dinner. Around the dinner table, we managed to share some meaningful moments from our day and pause to pray before fatigue set in. We bid each other goodnight and went to find rest that would sustain us for the day to come.
Most of us rose early the next morning to meet with God. Some joined the Reflective Circle happening in a cozy corner of the hotel. God met some in the brisk morning air along the beach. Others of us spent time with God in the quiet of our room. When it was time, we all came back together from our scattered places to board the bus and head to an important meeting.
Shortly, we arrived at one of the most frequented selfie locations in all of Cambridge, the Harriet Tubman mural just off of Race Street. Here, we were greeted by founders/leaders of the Alpha Genesis Community Development Corporation (AGCDC). The order of our morning was perfect as we began with the Harriet Tubman mural, then got to hear the dreams and aspirations of the young men AGCDC is working with as we walked to the Harriet Tubman “Beacon of Hope” statue installed only two years ago. The statue is truly beautiful, but what is most impressive is how much meaningful symbolism the artist was able to incorporate into this single piece of art. Our time with them was so inspiring and many of us committed to keep our eyes on the work AGCDC is doing and lend our support where we’re able. Reluctant to leave these new relationships we were forming, we shuffled back onto our bus to head to another appointment with Harriet Tubman.
When we pulled into the parking lot of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, our almost giddy excitement over the remarkable work of AGCDC settled into a sober reminder of the historical foundation that makes that hopeful work possible. Harriet Tubman is already a larger than life historical hero; however, moving through the exhibits of the visitor center helped us to put real flesh on the bones of our previous knowledge of her and identify without question the unshakable faith that fueled her spirit.
Before we embarked on the next leg of the pilgrimage, we stopped to refuel our bodies. Sitting on the patio of a Panera Bread, we shared stories, meaningful moments, and encounters with God. Our pilgrimage had been so rich and yet we still had our time in Baltimore ahead of us.
On the drive back to Baltimore, the bus eventually settled into a contemplative quiet as each pilgrim sat in reflection or refreshed their energy with a nap. When we arrived in Baltimore, it was everything you would expect; the streets were bustling with sports fans and the cars crept along making their way through the traffic. Our guide for Baltimore was author and docent Lou Fields, who is known for delivering a rich experience with unexpected gifts sprinkled throughout his tour. Most of those on the pilgrimage live in Baltimore; yet Lou gave us a new lens to view the city through. Seeing the innovation of the new Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center was so inspiring as it stood to be a real bright spot in a community ready for new life. Our private tour of this beautiful restored building opened our eyes to new possibilities for resource collaboration while our visit to the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park reminded us that even the ways we name our structures continue to give us reason to wrestle with the history of our nation.
Departing is sweet sorrow seemed very true in those final moments of our pilgrimage as we dropped Lou off and continued on to the place we first met. We looked forward to getting back to our loved ones, yet we could have remained in the company of our fellow pilgrims a little longer. Now comes the work of moving from pilgrimage and spiritual formation to kingdom action. We will close with a quote from Frederick Douglas where he states, “I prayed for twenty years but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.”