2020 SSCA Presidential Address: Activists at the Crossroads

Dr. Bourland-Davis’s address was not presented in the usual forum at the conference, given its cancellation as part of the novel coronavirus pandemic response. Offered here, she looks at crossroads in activism, especially those tied to the 2019 Montgomery conference location. With activism, elements such as timing and events propel individuals to respond, and the events which engage activists require considerable planning. Using the stories of Jo Ann Robinson, Georgia Teresa Gilmore, and John Lewis, she provides examples of these elements in the bus boycott and the March to Montgomery. She encourages faculty to pursue the stories of activists, many of whom are not well known, and to use these stories in classes as a way to inspire students to learn from the crossroads.