SHILOH COMMUNITY — If it’s been raining, the kids bring two pairs of shoes to the bus stop.

One pair is for before school—for the trek through high water in the historically Black Shiloh community in Coffee County, Alabama.
“They roll their pants legs up, too,” said Otis Andrews, who’s lived in the community nearly all his life.

Once they’ve made it onto the bus, they can change into their second pair, drying out for the school day to come.
“That’s not acceptable,” Andrews said. “It’s really not. They shouldn’t have to do this.”

Shiloh, he explained, is naturally flat. Flooding didn’t start until after the state elevated and expanded U.S. 84. Read more.