Thousands gathered at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge to celebrate and memorialize Civil Rights leaders who marched in the Selma to Montgomery march in 1965.
Gov. Andy Beshear joined thousands of activists and community members on Sunday marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.
In honor of all the sacrifices made on behalf of civil rights foot soldiers 60 years ago, the following 60 events are scheduled this March in Selma and Montgomery by Salute Selma, Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee and the city of Montgomery. While many are free, some come with a fee or admission price. Events may be subject to change.
On March 7, 1965, a march by over 500 civil rights demonstrators was violently broken up at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama; state troopers and a sheriff’s posse fired tear gas and beat marchers with batons in what became known as “Bloody Sunday.”
Students will learn about the 1965 marches from Selma to Montgomery during the Civil Rights Movement. They will examine the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and watch clips from the movie "Selma". Most importantly, students will think critically about sources of information. Pass out this HANDOUT with background on the Selma to Montgomery Marches.