VOA慢速英语2015 美国城市保护民权遗产来增加旅游

AS IT IS 2015-03-06 US Cities Protect Civil Rights Heritage to Increase Tourism 美国城市保护民权遗产来增加旅游

This weekend, President Barack Obama will visit Selma, Alabama, to mark the 50th anniversary of a day known as “Bloody¹ Sunday.” On March 7, 1965, police officers brutally² attacked peaceful demonstrators in Selma. The protesters were part of a campaign to get voting rights for African-Americans.

The incident in Selma led to passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The act removed legal barriers that prevented many African-Americans from voting. The 2014 Hollywood film Selma is about the events of 50 years ago.

The movie is a sign of renewed interest in the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. For years, parts of the southern United States had trouble dealing³ with the past.

Now, many southern communities are coming to terms with their history. They have taken steps to recognize what happened with hopes of appealing to visitors from across the country and from overseas. Many towns, including Selma, are adding historical markers, building museums, and fixing up churches that were part of the civil rights movement.  

The images of police beating back peaceful voting rights protesters brought the world’s attention to Selma, Alabama in March of 1965.

Days after Bloody Sunday, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. led thousands in a historic voting rights march.

Lee Sentell directs Alabama's Tourism department. He says he hopes that tourists can learn more about the civil rights struggles and the people who were a part of the movement.

"Our job is to make sure that people learn about the story beyond just the fact that Dr. Martin Luther King made a lot of great speeches, because there were ordinary people who had a lot to lose, whether their jobs or their lives, and they demonstrated to make change come to the south, and the country and the world. “

Fred Gray is a civil rights lawyer. He recently spoke⁴ to tourists about the events of 50 years ago.

"After they were beaten back on Bloody Sunday they called me and I went over that same night."

Fred Gray and his wife founded a small museum in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1997. Now, it is one of several organizations in Alabama that provide people a look into the fight against racial discrimination. Mr. Gray says he hopes the state will create and maintain more civil rights landmarks⁶.

"The state of Alabama, and particularly the department of tourism, now recognizes the fact that civil rights is an engine for economic growth and development. They see that people are interested, and that we need to preserve that history, and by preserving it and people coming in, it generates tourism."

William Bell is the mayor of the city of Birmingham, Alabama. He says over 200,000 people visit civil rights attractions in the city each year.

"I think, by looking at our civil rights history, it attracted people to come in and see not only the way we were but the way we are and the way we want to be; (it) will give us the financial support to really make sure that our cities grow and prosper⁷."

Melissa Gray brought her family to Selma from Georgia. She says it’s important for people to understand history to avoid repeating history.

Words in This Story

historic – adj. having great and lasting⁸ importance

landmark⁵ – n. a building or place that was important in history

preserve – v. to protest; to keep something in good condition

embrace – v. to accept

"Well, I think if we don't understand our history we may definitely repeat our history. It is so important for our children who do not have to deal with the struggle that my predecessors⁹, and siblings¹⁰ and my parents had to deal with."

In Selma, residents are embracing this increase in civil rights tourism. They hope it will improve the struggling economy, provide more jobs, and help the city.

1 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

2 brutally   

adv.残忍地，野蛮地，冷酷无情地

参考例句：

• The uprising was brutally put down.起义被残酷地镇压下去了。
• A pro-democracy uprising was brutally suppressed.一场争取民主的起义被残酷镇压了。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

6 landmarks   

n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址）

参考例句：

• The book stands out as one of the notable landmarks in the progress of modern science. 这部著作是现代科学发展史上著名的里程碑之一。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The baby was one of the big landmarks in our relationship. 孩子的出世是我们俩关系中的一个重要转折点。 来自辞典例句

7 prosper   

v.成功，兴隆，昌盛；使成功，使昌隆，繁荣

参考例句：

• With her at the wheel,the company began to prosper.有了她当主管，公司开始兴旺起来。
• It is my earnest wish that this company will continue to prosper.我真诚希望这家公司会继续兴旺发达。

8 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

9 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 siblings   

n.兄弟，姐妹( sibling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• A triplet sleeps amongst its two siblings. 一个三胞胎睡在其两个同胞之间。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She has no way of tracking the donor or her half-siblings down. 她没办法找到那个捐精者或她的兄弟姐妹。 来自时文部分