March 7 was the 55th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, one of the most famous events in the modern civil rights movement. On that Sunday in 1965, peaceful marchers led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams were brutally beaten and tear gassed by Alabama State Troopers and deputies of the notorious Sheriff Jim Clark. The purpose of the march from Selma to Montgomery, AL was twofold – to advocate for voting rights for African Americans and to protest the recent killing of an unarmed black man Jimmy Lee Jackson by an Alabama State Trooper. News cameras captured the brutality, and it was broadcast to the nation that Sunday evening. The scenes of brutal violence directed at non-violent marchers touched the conscience of many and moved President Johnson to convene a joint session of Congress on March 15 during which he called for a new Voting Rights Act which was signed into law that August. The photos and video posted below feature scenes from Bloody Sunday including an interview with John Lewis in which he reflects on that pivotal event. As we go through this election year including Presidential primaries and the general election in November, it is important to remember the sacrifice and determination of those who put their bodies and lives on the line for the right to vote. Any attempts at voter suppression by state or local authorities and simply neglecting to vote dishonors their legacy. On the other hand, continuing to advocate for voting rights and showing up to vote connects us with the long line of witnesses for justice including those who marched on Bloody Sunday.
