Some of America’s most important stories are preserved not only in museums and history books, but along the streets, bridges, churches, and neighborhoods where extraordinary people helped change the course of a nation.
Across the American South, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail connects places that played defining roles in the struggle for racial equality. From the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, these landmarks offer travelers an opportunity to understand the people, sacrifices, and defining moments of the Civil Rights Movement.
For those looking to explore this history firsthand, a road trip provides a particularly meaningful way to experience the region. Along the way, visitors discover compelling museums, preserved historical sites, and communities where the legacy of civil rights activism remains part of everyday life.
Following the Road to Civil Rights
The Hertz American Road Trip Planner features a journey known as The Road to Civil Rights, connecting nine significant historical stops between Atlanta, Georgia, and Louisiana.
The suggested itinerary covers approximately 1,110 miles over 12 days, passing through Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Travelers can follow the original route or adapt it to include additional destinations along the broader U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
While the journey can be completed in less time, allowing 10 to 12 days makes it possible to explore the museums, historic districts, and communities without rushing.
Here are nine important places to experience along the way.
1. Atlanta, Georgia: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park
Atlanta is a natural starting point for a Civil Rights road trip. In the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood, visitors can explore the community where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in 1929 and spent his formative years.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park preserves several important landmarks, including King’s childhood home and Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he preached alongside his father.
The Birth Home reopened to visitors in July 2026 following an extensive preservation project. Ranger-led tours provide insight into King’s early family life and the neighborhood that helped shape his understanding of faith, community, and justice. Tour availability is limited, so visitors should confirm current arrangements with the National Park Service.
Nearby, the King Center includes the reflecting pool and tomb of Dr. King and Coretta Scott King, creating a contemplative space to reflect on their enduring legacy.
Allow at least half a day to explore the neighborhood, although visitors with a particular interest in civil rights history may want longer.
2. Montgomery, Alabama: The Rosa Parks Museum
From Atlanta, the journey continues into Alabama, where Montgomery played a central role in the emergence of the modern Civil Rights Movement.
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to surrender her seat to a white passenger on a segregated city bus. Her arrest helped spark the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a 382-day campaign that brought national attention to racial segregation in public transportation.
Today, the Rosa Parks Museum stands at the location of her arrest.
Operated by Troy University, the museum uses historical documents, photographs, artifacts, and interpretive exhibits to tell the story of Parks, the boycott, and the many community organizers who made the movement possible.
Visitors can explore displays featuring a period Montgomery bus and a restored station wagon associated with the carpool system that helped boycott participants reach their destinations.
Montgomery also offers other important sites, including the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, the Legacy Museum, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.
Together, these places provide a broader understanding of the long struggle for racial justice in America.
3. Selma, Alabama: Edmund Pettus Bridge and the Voting Rights Movement
Few landmarks symbolize the American struggle for voting rights as powerfully as Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge.
On March 7, 1965, peaceful demonstrators attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery were violently attacked by law enforcement officers as they crossed the bridge. The events became known as Bloody Sunday, and images of the violence were broadcast around the world.
The brutality helped build support for federal voting rights legislation, contributing to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Visitors can walk across the bridge and explore the nearby National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, where exhibits commemorate the activists, organizers, and ordinary citizens who challenged discriminatory voting practices.
For a deeper experience, follow portions of the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail, administered by the National Park Service.
The route follows the approximately 54-mile journey taken by civil rights marchers in March 1965, connecting significant locations along U.S. Highway 80.
Selma is one of the most moving stops on this journey, offering an opportunity to reflect on the courage required to secure fundamental democratic rights.
4. Birmingham, Alabama: The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Birmingham became a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement during the early 1960s.
In 1963, demonstrators demanding an end to segregation faced arrests, police dogs, and high-pressure fire hoses. Photographs of the violence, particularly against young protesters, shocked the nation and helped build momentum for change.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute presents a comprehensive account of these events through photographs, archival footage, oral histories, and interactive exhibitions.
Located in the city’s Civil Rights District, the institute stands across from the historic 16th Street Baptist Church.
On September 15, 1963, a bombing at the church killed four young African American girls. The tragedy became a defining moment in the nation’s struggle for equality.
Nearby Kelly Ingram Park contains monuments and sculptures commemorating the movement’s participants and the violence they faced.
Visitors should also explore the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, which connects several historically significant locations, including the A.G. Gaston Motel, where civil rights leaders planned elements of the 1963 Birmingham campaign.
Together, these sites make Birmingham one of the most significant destinations on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
5. Nashville, Tennessee: The Lunch Counter Sit-Ins
Continuing north into Tennessee, Nashville offers an important chapter in the history of nonviolent protest.
During the early 1960s, students from local colleges and universities organized peaceful sit-ins at segregated lunch counters in downtown department stores.
These demonstrations challenged discriminatory business practices and helped establish Nashville as an important center of student-led civil rights activism.
Among the movement’s most prominent participants was John Lewis, who later became a longtime member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Travelers can explore downtown Nashville, including Fifth Avenue, where several historic demonstrations took place.
A particularly worthwhile stop is the Civil Rights Room at Nashville Public Library.
Located in the Main Library, the exhibit features photographs, historical documents, and a symbolic lunch counter that helps visitors understand the organization and discipline behind Nashville’s nonviolent protests.
The city’s story demonstrates how coordinated local activism contributed to national changes in civil rights legislation and public attitudes.
6. Memphis, Tennessee: The National Civil Rights Museum
Memphis is home to one of the most important civil rights museums in the United States.
The National Civil Rights Museum occupies the historic Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
The preserved motel exterior, including the balcony outside Room 306, remains one of the most recognizable landmarks associated with the movement.
Inside, the museum traces centuries of African American history, examining slavery, segregation, resistance, and the struggle for equality.
Through original artifacts, films, historical documents, and immersive exhibits, visitors encounter the stories of both nationally recognized leaders and lesser-known individuals whose contributions helped shape the movement.
The experience is powerful and often deeply emotional. Rather than focusing exclusively on King’s assassination, the museum places his life and work within the much larger struggle for freedom and civil rights.
Allow several hours for a visit.
Beyond its historical significance, Memphis also offers a rich cultural landscape shaped by blues, gospel, soul, and African American musical traditions. Exploring the city’s music heritage adds another dimension to understanding its place in American history.
7. Jackson, Mississippi: Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
Mississippi played a pivotal role in the struggle for racial equality, and its capital city provides an opportunity to understand the movement through the experiences of the people who lived it.
Opened in 2017, the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum is dedicated to the state’s history of racial injustice, resistance, and organized activism.
Its galleries explore the period from Reconstruction through the Civil Rights Movement, highlighting the courage of individuals and communities who challenged segregation and fought for voting rights.
A central feature is the dramatic This Little Light of Mine gallery, where illuminated sculpture and music create a space for reflection.
The museum also examines landmark events such as Freedom Summer in 1964, when civil rights organizations coordinated voter registration efforts and community education initiatives across Mississippi.
Jackson provides a powerful reminder that the movement depended not only on prominent national figures but also on local organizers, students, families, and ordinary citizens willing to challenge deeply entrenched systems of discrimination.
For another perspective on Mississippi’s history and culture, explore DRIFT’s feature on a culinary road trip through Mississippi, which connects regional food and music traditions with the state’s complex past.
8. Jackson, Mississippi: Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
While visiting Jackson, make time for the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument.
Medgar Evers was a prominent Mississippi civil rights leader and the state’s first NAACP field secretary. His work focused on voter registration, educational opportunities, and challenging racial segregation.
On June 12, 1963, Evers was assassinated outside his family home in Jackson.
Today, the modest residence is preserved as the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, administered by the National Park Service.
The site honors both Medgar Evers and his wife, Myrlie Evers-Williams, who continued the family’s commitment to civil rights advocacy following her husband’s death.
The house stands within a residential neighborhood, providing a poignant reminder that some of the movement’s most significant events unfolded in everyday communities.
Visitor access and ranger-led programming may be limited, so travelers should check current arrangements before arriving and respect the privacy of neighboring residents.
9. Louisiana: Whitney Plantation
The final principal stop takes travelers into Louisiana, where the Whitney Plantation provides essential historical context for understanding the centuries of racial injustice that preceded the modern Civil Rights Movement.
Located near Wallace, approximately an hour west of New Orleans, the Whitney Plantation is a museum dedicated to educating visitors about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States.
Unlike traditional plantation attractions that emphasize architecture and the lifestyles of wealthy owners, Whitney centers its interpretation on the experiences of enslaved people.
Through preserved buildings, memorial installations, exhibits, and historical accounts, visitors learn about the individuals and families whose forced labor supported Louisiana’s plantation economy.
The museum’s approach encourages visitors to consider the human consequences of slavery and its enduring influence on American society.
It provides a thought-provoking conclusion to a journey focused on freedom, resistance, and the pursuit of equality.
Travelers may wish to continue to nearby New Orleans, where African American cultural traditions have profoundly shaped the city’s music, cuisine, neighborhoods, and identity.
For an additional taste of the region, discover Louisiana’s culinary traditions, from Creole cooking and gumbo to the food culture of New Orleans.
Planning Your Civil Rights Road Trip
A journey through America’s civil rights landmarks deserves time and thoughtful planning.
While Hertz’s suggested itinerary covers 12 days, travelers can adjust the schedule according to their interests. A shorter trip might concentrate on Alabama and Tennessee, while a longer journey could include additional museums and historical communities.
Spring and fall are generally appealing seasons for exploring the South, offering more comfortable conditions for walking tours and outdoor historic sites than the peak summer months.
A rental car makes it easier to travel between cities and reach landmarks outside major urban centers. Travelers planning a one-way itinerary should confirm vehicle return arrangements and any additional rental conditions before departure.
Many historical attractions are independently operated, and opening hours, tour schedules, and reservation policies vary. Checking official visitor information before each stop is especially important.
For additional landmarks, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail provides an interactive map and destination resources that can help travelers personalize their journey.
Frequently Asked Questions About the U.S. Civil Rights Trail
What is the U.S. Civil Rights Trail?
The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a collection of historically significant sites associated with the American Civil Rights Movement. It connects museums, churches, schools, memorials, and other landmarks across numerous states, helping visitors understand the people and events that shaped the struggle for equality.
How long does it take to drive the Civil Rights Trail?
The full U.S. Civil Rights Trail spans many destinations and cannot be experienced in a single short journey. However, Hertz’s Atlanta-to-Louisiana road trip covers nine principal stops over approximately 1,110 miles, with 12 days suggested for the experience. Travelers can create shorter regional itineraries or longer journeys.
What are the most important Civil Rights Movement sites to visit?
Among the most historically significant landmarks are the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Birmingham’s Civil Rights District, and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. The Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home in Jackson are also important stops.
Can families take a Civil Rights road trip?
Yes. Many destinations offer educational exhibits suitable for older children and teenagers. However, museums may contain disturbing historical photographs, accounts of racial violence, and emotionally challenging material. Families should review exhibits in advance and allow time to discuss what they experience.
Is the Hertz Civil Rights road trip planner still available?
Yes. Hertz continues to feature its Road to Civil Rights itinerary on its American Road Trip Planner, including historical landmarks, route information, and suggested stops between Atlanta and Louisiana.
A Journey That Brings History Into Focus
A Civil Rights road trip through the American South is more than an opportunity to visit museums and historic landmarks. It is a journey through places where ordinary people demonstrated extraordinary courage, where communities organized for change, and where the course of American history was transformed.
Walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, standing outside the Lorraine Motel, or exploring the streets where students organized peaceful protests creates a connection to history that is difficult to experience through books alone.
These destinations preserve stories that continue to inform conversations about freedom, equality, and justice today.
And for travelers willing to take the time to explore them, the journey offers something enduring: a deeper understanding of America, its history, and the people who helped shape its future.
