Sixty-one years ago today, nonviolent foot soldiers seeking the fundamental right to vote crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and were met with brutal, state-sanctioned violence. What became known as Bloody Sunday shocked the conscience of the nation and exposed the cruelty of voter suppression.
The courage and discipline of those marchers, who remained committed to nonviolence even in the face of brutality, helped shift public opinion and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Today, many of the protections that once safeguarded voters from racial discrimination have been weakened, and the work of protecting the right to vote remains unfinished.
Remember the sacrifice of those who marched.
Honor their courage through action. Continue the work of protecting the right to vote for every person.
Contact your members of Congress and urge them to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
#TheKingCenter #MLK #BloodySunday #VotingRights #JohnLewisVRAA
โIf you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.โ
โ Malcolm X