A NEW PERSPECTIVE
By Siri
Today, we are at the Center for Human And Civil Rights. I have heard about it before, but have never experienced it.
I walk into the museum and cold air blows across me. I find myself at a lunch counter exhibit. In 1960, four African American students sat down at a lunch counter where they knew they weren't welcome. When they were asked to leave, they refused, starting the Sit-In protests all over the country.
Now, it's my turn to experience this. My heart pounds in my chest as I sit down at the lunch counter. I place my hands down on the cold counter. I close my eyes and immediately enter a different world. At first, I can only hear myself breathing, but then a man starts talking to me.
“You better watch out boy!” says a husky voice.
My heart starts beating even faster, and I can barely think of what will happen next. But before I know it, yelling fills the air. Glass shatters around, me giving me chills. The man still yells at me, but I can barely focus on that. I think about how I have a choice to leave and not get hurt. When the lunch counter Sit-Ins were happening, students had no choice to back down. They just had to endure the pain—or lose momentum in earning their Civil Rights. Doing this made me think of all the people that have fought for our country and made it how it is today.
Sitting through the Sin-In wasn't easy; my eyes filled with tears and I could barely talk. I stepped down from the stool and my heart sunk further than my deep breaths. This wasn't a normal museum exhibit, but it was definitely one of the most meaningful ones.
I walk into the museum and cold air blows across me. I find myself at a lunch counter exhibit. In 1960, four African American students sat down at a lunch counter where they knew they weren't welcome. When they were asked to leave, they refused, starting the Sit-In protests all over the country.
Now, it's my turn to experience this. My heart pounds in my chest as I sit down at the lunch counter. I place my hands down on the cold counter. I close my eyes and immediately enter a different world. At first, I can only hear myself breathing, but then a man starts talking to me.
“You better watch out boy!” says a husky voice.
My heart starts beating even faster, and I can barely think of what will happen next. But before I know it, yelling fills the air. Glass shatters around, me giving me chills. The man still yells at me, but I can barely focus on that. I think about how I have a choice to leave and not get hurt. When the lunch counter Sit-Ins were happening, students had no choice to back down. They just had to endure the pain—or lose momentum in earning their Civil Rights. Doing this made me think of all the people that have fought for our country and made it how it is today.
Sitting through the Sin-In wasn't easy; my eyes filled with tears and I could barely talk. I stepped down from the stool and my heart sunk further than my deep breaths. This wasn't a normal museum exhibit, but it was definitely one of the most meaningful ones.