Freedom Marches

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The Freedom Marches took place in March 1965 and were a key part of the civil rights movement in America. They were nonviolent protests against the unfairness of voting registration in the South. On Sunday 7^th March 1965 demonstrators set out from Selma, Alabama to the state capitol in Montgomery. They were stopped by police at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and the subsequent violent breakup of the march by the police became known as Bloody Sunday and led to the spotlight falling on the area.

After the first march, support for the movement grew across America and many influential figures including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. flew in to add their support. The largest rally began in Selma on 21^st March and went on for four days until they reached the steps of the Capitol building in Montgomery. These marches led to President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in August.

Today it is possible to follow the route of the Selma-Montgomery marches, with museums and monuments along the way. The walking isn't the most thrilling (ie urban and suburban), but the history behind it certainly makes for a compelling time.

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/modern/jb_modern_selma_1.html 

http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_selma_to_montgomery_march/

http://www.alabama.travel/road-trips/selma-to-montgomery-crossing-a-bridge-into-history 

http://byways.org/stories/81670 

This page is at an early stage of development. Please help us by making suggestions and sending photos! Thank you!