Project Description

50th Anniversary Events Commemorating Bloody Sunday
The Sacredness of Bloody Sunday Selma-to-Montgomery March and the Voting Rights Act
The Bridge Crossing Jubilee Honoring Bloody Sunday on March 8, 2015

By Senator Hank Sanders | Originally Published on Facebook. February 13, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ten major civil rights organizations have united to commemorate the 50thAnniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma-to-Montgomery Marches. We have jointly created more than 40events for this historic anniversary weekend which include:

  • An address by the President of the United States Barack Obama on Saturday March 7, 2015, the actual anniversary day of Bloody Sunday;
  • The Fruits of the Labor Luncheon on Saturday March 7, 2015, honoring Secretary Julian Castro, Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Maxine Waters, Gov. Deval Patrick, Mayor Richard Hatcher, Mayor Charles Evers;
  • The Living Legends Dialogue on Saturday, March 7, 2015, will feature Diane Nash, Bob Moses, Claudette Colvin, Dr. Bernard Lafayette and the youth leaders of the Black Lives Matter Movement;
  • All day Saturday March 7, 2015, there will be music, story telling and a street festival with national known artist, the freedom singers and Paul from Peter Paul and Mary;
  • The organizations in the unified committee will sponsor one march, the sacred Bloody Sunday re-enactment march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Sunday March 8,2015;
  • No organizations in the unified committee will sponsor and or participate in any other march.

We are also welcoming back to Selma the foot soldiers and leaders of the Voting Rights Movement, including Rep. John Lewis, Amelia Boynton, Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. Joseph Lowery, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., Dick Gregory and Diane Nash.

We are honored that President Obama will join us in commemorating these 50thanniversary activities. The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which organized the original Bloody Sunday march has co-sponsored the commemoration events in Selma with the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute for nearly 40 years.

The unified committee includes the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, Inc., The Faith and Politics Institute, the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, Wallace Community College Selma, 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement, The City of Selma, Rep. Terri Sewell, Rep. John Lewis, National Action Network, Rainbow/PUSH. For more information go to www.selma50.com.