The Black Freedom Bike Tour
Atlanta, GA to the Combahee River | July 1-6, 2015
In a 6 day trek, 9 Black women + 1 Black woman Bike Tour Manager took on the challenge to bike 300+ sweltering miles through the deep South. All to honor resilient and tenacious attitude of, our ancestor, Araminta Ross or Harriet Tubman as you may know her.
These 10 women created community by camping, cooking, and cleaning together as one unite during this strenuous adventure. Through physical anguish and mental struggle, these women survived on laughter and the power of knowing that their ancestors protected them every peddle of the way.
The cyclists started this Black Freedom ride in the historic West End neighborhood of Atlanta which is home to Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark- Atlanta University. The riders had a moment of meditation and prayer at the Combahee River, home of the raid led by Tubman that freed over 700 slaves. While at the river the cyclists were prayed for by members of the Oyotunji African Village. The women then shared food with the Gullah people of the low country in South Carolina. The celebration ended at Hunting Beach State Park, which was also home four rice plantations that African descendants labored during slavery.
Can you imagine the courage it took these women to put their phyiscal and emotional safety at risk during such a dangerous and violent time for black lives in this country for the sake of something so inherent as freedom?
