By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
SELMA — Civil rights leaders, elected officials, and community members gathered Saturday in Selma to commemorate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday, retracing the historic steps of the 1965 marchers by crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in remembrance of the struggle for voting rights.
Among those participating in the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee event were U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, along with clergy, civil rights advocates, and citizens from across Alabama and the nation.
The commemorative march honors the events of March 7, 1965, when hundreds of peaceful demonstrators were brutally attacked by state troopers and law enforcement while attempting to march from Selma to Montgomery in support of voting rights for Black Americans. The violence occurred as marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, a moment that became known as Bloody Sunday.
The bridge itself carries a complicated legacy. It is named for Edmund Pettus, a Confederate general and U.S. senator who also served as a Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama during the Reconstruction era. For many, the name underscores the historical context of racial injustice that civil rights activists confronted during the 1965 marches.
In a statement shared during the commemoration, Sewell reflected on the significance of the anniversary and the courage of those who marched more than six decades ago.
“Sixty-one years ago, brave Americans in my hometown of Selma were beaten and bloodied on the Edmund Pettus Bridge while peacefully demonstrating for the right of all Americans to vote,” Sewell said. “Today, in prayerful reflection, we honored their sacrifices by crossing the bridge one more time.”
Sewell said the events of Bloody Sunday changed the course of American history by exposing the brutality faced by civil rights demonstrators and drawing national attention to the struggle for voting rights.
“The events of Bloody Sunday galvanized the nation and brought us the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Sewell said.
Saturday’s observance included prayers, speeches, and the symbolic crossing of the bridge, which has become the centerpiece of Selma’s annual remembrance events. Participants walked together across the historic span as a tribute to the original marchers who faced violence while demanding equal access to the ballot box.
Images broadcast across the nation in 1965 showed Alabama state troopers and local law enforcement brutally attacking roughly 600 civil rights marchers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Officers unleashed tear gas, charged into the crowd on horseback, and beat unarmed protesters with billy clubs and whips as they attempted to cross the bridge peacefully.
The attack left 17 protesters hospitalized, including John Lewis, who suffered a fractured skull and would later serve for decades in Congress as one of the nation’s most prominent civil rights leaders. Many others were injured during the violent confrontation.
Television footage of the assault shocked viewers across the country. The images helped shift public opinion and increased pressure on the federal government to address discriminatory voting laws in the South, ultimately contributing to the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The annual bridge crossing is part of the broader Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee. This multi-day event draws thousands each year to reflect on the sacrifices made during the Civil Rights Movement and to discuss ongoing issues related to voting rights and civic participation.
Sewell said the legacy of those who marched in 1965 continues to resonate today.
“In these troubling times, they serve as a reminder of the power of ordinary Americans to achieve extraordinary social change,” Sewell said.
Governor Kay Ivey also released a statement on social media Sunday commemorating the anniversary, saying, “Today, we remember Bloody Sunday, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement and in our nation’s history. The bravery of those who marched from Selma to Montgomery helped move our country. We honor their courage and the lasting impact of their stand.”
]The original march from Selma to Montgomery eventually succeeded weeks after Bloody Sunday when federal protection allowed demonstrators to complete the 54-mile journey to the Alabama State Capitol.
For many who gathered in Selma on Saturday, the annual crossing serves not only as a remembrance of the past but also as a call to continue protecting the rights for which the marchers fought.
