No Shut Down. No Shut Down. No Shut Down.  This refrain was heard over and over on Thursday and Friday of last week as the No Shut Down Caravan rolled through twelve counties over two days. The constant refrain was No Shut Down. No Shut Down. No Shut Down.

Let me tell you what of the No Shut Down Caravan. A core group of leaders rolled from county courthouse to county courthouse by vans, cars and trucks. We were joined by citizens, elected officials and other leaders in front of each courthouse. The No Shut Down Caravan commenced in East Alabama in Bullock County. Then it rolled on to Macon, Montgomery, Lowndes, Butler and Wilcox counties. And that was just the first day. The caravan began the second day in West Alabama in Pickens County and rolled on to Sumter, Greene, Hale, Perry and Dallas counties. The constant refrain was No Shut Down. No Shut Down. No Shut Down.

Let me tell you the why of the No Shut Down Caravan. The why was forged by Gov. Robert Bentley’s closing down driver license offices (DMV’s) in 31 counties. However, the Black Belt suffered disproportionately. The 13 counties in the Alabama Black Belt make up just 19 percent of Alabama’s 67 counties but 35.4 percent of the closings. Moreover, eleven (11) of the thirteen (13) offices in the Black Belt are being closed. That is 85 percent. To make matters worse, there are no budgetary reasons for these shutdowns. The cost of driver’s licenses has been raised from $28.00 to $41.25.

The No Shut Down Caravan started in Bullock County. There was a very good local crowd with excellent representation of leaders including county commissioners, a state representative, a state senator, a mayor, school board members and other elected and former elected officials. There were blacks and whites, young and old, elected and unelected. Media was also represented. It was a powerful kick-off of a caravan that would stop in 12 counties over two days.

The No Shut Down Caravan rolled into Macon County. Among those present were a mayor, a famous civil rights attorney and media representatives. The No Shut Down Caravan rolled into Montgomery, which is not a county with driver’s license offices being closed.  However, it is the State Capital where the decisions were made and it is more accessible to media.

The No Shut Down Caravan rolled into Lowndes, Butler and Wilcox Counties. There were many elected officials especially in Lowndes and Butler.

The next day, Friday, we were up early on our two-hour trip to Pickens County which was special in its own way, especially with media. Then it was on to Sumter County where we met seniors (one was 103 years of age), other citizens, a mayor, a county commissioner and a judge. A van load of leaders from Birmingham joined the caravan as they had the previous day.

The No Shut Down Caravan was met in Greene County by a range of citizens, elected officials and other leaders.

The No Shut Down Caravan rolled on into Hale and Perry counties where we were met by the Perry County probate judge, sheriff, a town councilwoman and others.

The No Shut Down Caravan rolled on to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma where we were met by additional leaders. Dallas is not one of the counties where the driver’s license office will be closed but it will be impacted by increased applicants from other counties. In addition, the Bridge is a worldwide symbol for freedom in general and voting rights in particular. No Shut Down. No Shut Down. No Shut Down.

Where do we go from here? For me, these are just moments in the movement. These moments left their footprints in the sands of time. However, the movement moves on and there is more sand ahead.