Taft’s journey through history, noted Rev. Robert Ganung, represented “a comprehensive approach to teaching the full, continuous story of racial oppression in America.” Taft’s “Legacy 6,” those students who traveled to Alabama’s Legacy Sites, reflected on that story during a Morning Meeting talk that evoked powerful emotion and added depth to the community’s understanding of race, injustice, and the history that cried out for reform, and ultimately drove the Civil Rights Movement. Teni Arole, Jabari King, Isaac Obeng, Sophie Brown, Xander Chatterjee, and Ny’ana Hauser spoke powerfully and eloquently about their experiences in Alabama.
 

The Legacy Sites represent a full and immersive journey through American history. Inspired by their experience there, the Legacy 6 worked with Mr. Allen, Ms. Hincker, and Mr. Rosario—who traveled with them to The Legacy Sites—and other community members to create Taft’s own immersive journey and Legacy Museum. Main Hall and adjacent spaces were transformed into a collection of sights and sounds—the sound of the ocean at the start of the journey, ominous in its representation of the journey from Africa aboard slave ships; historical news clippings, art, and other informational displays; photos from The Legacy Sites. Throughout the journey, Taft travelers met student docents, and were invited to look, read, learn and—most importantly—feel. They were invited to share those feelings in the last stop of the journey, a reflection space.
 

Through the week, Mr. Allen notes, members of the Taft community were challenged to lean into discomfort, and to engage with an open mind.

“Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes,” wrote Allen. “Today, the Taft community changed. Thank you, all, for being part of that change.”