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“The day they bled for your vote”

By Denise Dunbar

Millions of people are getting ready to mark the 50 year anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama. That’s the day marked in history as the day that hundreds of civil rights marchers and advocates were brutally attacked by Alabama State Troopers. They were attempting to march to Montgomery in a demonstration to spotlight voting rights.

After a brief prayer, six hundred marchers including now Georgia Congressman John Lewis,  walked two-by-two through the city streets. However, just after they crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge, they found their way blocked by state troopers and local police who shot teargas and beat them bloody with billy clubs. John Lewis suffered a fractured skull and he was one of 58 people to be hospitalized.

“Bloody Sunday” was televised around the world.  The resulting public outcry helped convince and inspire President Lyndon B. Johnson to pass the Voting rights Act of 1965.

This year, to mark the 50th anniversary, thousands of people are planning to travel to Selma to commemorate the march, to celebrate civil rights victories and to encourage people to continue to fight for social justice.

You can retrace the steps of the historic march from Selma to the Edmond Pettus Bridge in a special commemoration. Reserve a seat for you and your family on buses that will leave Atlanta at 6 am on Sunday, March 8th and return Sunday night at 9 pm. Pay via PayPal at the Voter Empowerment Collaborative’s website at www.vecvoter.org.

50 Years Later: The March On Selma
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