Vicksburg
McLean County Diversity Project c/o Jeffrey A. Schwartz PO Box 58 Downs, IL 61736
All content is ©Copyright 2010 McLean County Diversity Project
In 2003, the Project took a trip to another Civil War city: Vicksburg, Mississippi. Fund-raising more than doubled, to $24,000.
A preliminary essay requirement was introduced, as students were asked to examine the historical and present-day significance of issues surrounding the Civil War.
The itinerary included a stop in Oxford, Mississippi, where James Meredith made history as the first black student to attend the University of Mississippi. The group visited the 16-mile Vicksburg National Military Park and Cemetery, as well as numerous museums and historical sites. History was connected to the present day through continuous diversity training among the students.
