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Selma, ALABAMA
The city of Selma played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It is the site of some of the most famous and consequential acts of peaceful protest in American history.
On March 7, 1965, around 600 protesters led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams were attacked by Alabama state troopers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Their plan was to march from Selma to Montgomery to demand the right to register black voters in Alabama. The indelible images from that day, which became known as Bloody Sunday, documented both heroic bravery and unspeakable brutality. They shocked the world and focused national attention on the rampant injustice and racism faced by millions of black Americans.
On March 21, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and John Lewis attempted the march again. 600 had become 8,000 as they marched out of Selma. By the time they entered the state capital, their number had grown to 25,000 as young people from across the country flocked to Alabama to support the cause. These acts of courage turned public opinion in favor of the Voting Rights Act and pressured congressional lawmakers to pass the landmark bill.
You can read more about the marches from Selma to Montgomery here.
Yet, despite its hallowed place in American history, Selma today is one of the poorest cities in Alabama. 41% of its residents live in poverty and the average household income is almost half the state average.
The development of Foot Soldiers Park and Education Center will bring much-needed jobs and revenue to the city. In addition to economic opportunities, the development will instill civic pride and a connection to their noble history for the young people who reside there today.
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