Join Founding Forward for an immersive travel study seminar tracing the powerful arc of the Civil Rights movement in America, from its early stirrings before World War II through the “long civil rights movement” of the twentieth century and into the challenges and activism of today. Together, we will confront both the triumphs and unfinished struggles for equality, guided by the voices, places, and legacies that continue to shape our civic life.
Our journey begins in Atlanta, Georgia, before moving through Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham, Alabama, and culminating in Memphis, Tennessee. Along the way, participants will step into historic sites and living memorials that illuminate the fight for justice and dignity, crossing bridges, walking through museums, and experiencing communities where history was made and continues to resonate. Workshops with museum curators, guided site explorations, and opportunities to hear testimony from those connected to the movement will provide a layered and deeply human perspective.
This seminar blends the power of place with the rigor of study, offering new ways to think about the scope, strategy, and leadership of the freedom struggle. Participants will engage with three interwoven themes, Freedom and Rights, Civil Unrest, and Learning from Our Past, to see how past movements inform present struggles and future possibilities. By the end of the program, you will leave not only with a deeper understanding of the civil rights movement’s roots and evolution, but also with insights that invite ongoing reflection on what it means to advance justice and civic responsibility today.
Speaker:
Lenny McAllister
Lenny McAllister is the author of the August 2026 memoir, A Venn Diagram of One: An American Story, published by Frederick Douglass Books and distributed by Simon and Schuster. He is a Senior Fellow with Founding Forward and has participated in “Good Citizen Day” as a presenter or emcee since 2020. Lenny also serves as a Senior Fellow with the Commonwealth Foundation, where he served as director before taking the role of CEO of the PA Coalition of Public Charter Schools during the COVID pandemic. In addition, he serves on the board of the American Consumer Institute.
Lenny is a former adjunct professor of African-American History at LaRoche University in Pittsburgh. He has been a guest lecturer on campuses across the country, including lectures at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Grove City College, Central Florida University, and Hiram College.
His civil rights work has been a staple of his public career. He worked as a special assistant to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. at Rainbow PUSH Coalition and as special assistant to former Chicago State University president Dr. Wayne Watson, himself a civil rights pioneer. Lenny has marched with civil rights leaders including former NAACP president and Maryland gubernatorial nominee Professor Ben Jealous, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church in Chicago. His work leans on Constitutional protections for all Americans, highlighted in his congenial exchange with former Vice President Mike Pence concerning “Constitutional law and order” during the height of protests in 2020. Recently, Lenny was inducted as a member of the Class of 2026 for the historic New Pittsburgh Courier’s Men of Excellence.
Currently, he hosts a show on the award-winning Newsradio KDKA in Pittsburgh.
Teachers board a motorcoach for six days (Sunday – Friday) of visits to historic sites (such as national parks, state parks, and private sites) connected to a specific era of American history. Each travel seminar is escorted by a public historian whose lectures provide context for the historic sites to be visited. Local docents and guides provide breadth and depth in the historic stories they share. Local museums with subject appropriate materials are also included, many offering classroom resources for participating teachers.
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