Selma: The Bridge to Freedom
Selma became the stage for one of the most powerful moments in the Civil Rights Movement.
On March 7, 1965 — “Bloody Sunday” — civil rights marchers attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, demanding voting rights. They were met with brutal violence from state troopers.
Despite the brutality, activists returned, and on March 21 they began a successful march to Montgomery led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These marches galvanized national support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Selma’s story is one of courage, sacrifice, and the relentless demand for justice. The Edmund Pettus Bridge remains a landmark of resilience and hope.
Why it matters: Selma shows that ordinary people, united in courage, can bend the arc of history.
