By VICTORIA SAWYER
Special to Atmore News
Youth Leadership Atmore visited our state’s capitol on Thursday, April 6. The group had a busy day meeting with government officials and touring the Alabama State Capitol, the Civil Rights Memorial Center, and the Alabama Judicial Building.
The day began at the Capitol with State Treasurer Young Boozer and Secretary of State John Merrill. While visiting these officials in their offices, the class learned about the duties for each position and the history and current affairs of our state. After our meetings in the State Officials’ offices, we went to observe our State Legislature in action. It is amazing to see how hectic and fast paced everyone in the building worked.
During the afternoon, the class was given the full tour of the Capitol building. The tour guide led us through each room showing us all of the small architectural details throughout the historic structure.
The building was completed in 1851, although several additions were made over the years. We learned the Capitol building was fully restored in 1992.
Following the Capitol tour, the group visited the Civil Rights Memorial Center. As we walked through the Memorial Center, we learned about the history of Martin Luther King, James Meredith, Herbert Lee, and many more who had major roles in the civil rights movement in the South. This was an interesting tour for the group because it showed not only the importance of learning about the events of our past, but it also taught us that we should all continue to be a voice for others in our daily lives.
The Alabama Judicial Building was the last stop of our busy day. We were given a tour of the beautiful building, and we had fun standing in one particular spot in the lobby and whispering. You can whisper a word, and the building’s acoustics will amplify the volume of your voice. Acting Chief Justice Lyn Stuart, an Atmore native, spoke to us about her background and the judicial system. We learned that if your county sheriff is removed from office, the next person to fill the role is the county coroner. We appreciated that Chief Justice Stuart took time out of her busy day to speak to us, and it was wonderful to see a native of Atmore holding such an important position within our state.
Overall, our day in Montgomery was very educational. This session made everyone more fascinated in our state’s rich history. I was sad this was our last session, but I am pleased with the knowledge we acquired about the importance of knowing our state’s history and government while visiting our capitol.