City Pools Were Closed when MLK Visited Lynchburg
But Camp Kum-Ba-Yah's were open.
This weekend, my daughter asked me to watch Disney’s original Lady and the Tramp with her. Her imagination runs wild with dogs these days, and I enjoyed sharing her delight in the charming story. But like many viewers, I was troubled by the movie’s use of harmful racial caricature and its racial omission.
I’m thankful my daughter is growing up in a society that gives more value to non-white cultures than Disney did in 1955 when they produced the film. I’m thankful the City of Lynchburg also places more value on non-white cultures and people today than it did in 1955. When Martin Luther King visited Lynchburg in 1962, the city pools were still closed to avoid integration. King visited several places in Lynchburg, including the Lodge of the Fisherman on the grounds of Camp Kum-Ba-Yah, where Rev. Bev Cosby had opened the camp pools to Black children when the city closed their own in 1961.
This year’s Bridge of Lament--our series of reflections on race and justice in Lynchburg, published between Juneteenth and Independence Day--will include a piece on Camp Kum-Ba-Yah’s open pools from the eyes of the children present that day. So many more experiences and events are worth reflecting on as we seek a more just society, and I’m excited to walk the journey again this year to experience the full appreciation of freedom, equality, and justice our country will assent to on July 4th.
We gladly invite writers to contribute reflections to help us cross the bridge again this year. If you have an interest in submitting something new or something you’ve done in the past, please reach out to me at bridgeoflament@gmail.com and let me know!
As I spend time this MLK holiday with my family, I plan to discuss Lady and the Tramp with my kids. Disney has done the right thing by providing a content warning on its classic films:
“This programme includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now…we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together."
I think that’s a worthy goal: to acknowledge harm, learn from it, and commit to creating a more inclusive future. Join us this year between Juneteenth and Independence Day to look at our own local story and imagine a more inclusive future together.
Kenton Martin, Project Coordinator,
Questions / Comments at bridgeoflament@gmail.com