Civil Rights Movement anniversary celebration marches forward to Montgomery

Brooke Leigh Howard, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Mar 21, 2025

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This weekend Alabama continues to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, with a series of events in the state’s capital city intended to cause reflection, celebration and action.

The anniversary weekend in Montgomery, a city which played a critical role in the Civil Rights Movement, includes a reception honoring current and past social justice leaders. Those expected to attend include activist Gina Belafonte, and notable Atlantans such as Jamal Bryant and hip-hop artist Big Boi.

Free interactive exhibits and cultural programs are planned to be held at a family-friendly community day event at George Washington Carver High School on Saturday. There will be a rally on Saturday night with live performances and speeches.

A public reenactment of the final stretch of the 1965 march, ending with a demonstration outside of the Alabama State Capitol building, will take place Sunday.

Montgomery will also host a virtual experience so those unable to attend can tune in remotely. Virtual attendees will see images from the Civil Rights Trail and the path to the Alabama State Capitol, and they’ll also be able to interact with historical activists through an innovative platform using photographs and records to bring history to the present.

“Here in Montgomery, where history was made, we stand not just to commemorate, but to continue the fight,” Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed said in a statement.

“This anniversary reminds us that every generation — including ours — has a role to play in protecting democracy and ensuring justice for all.”

On March 7, 1965, a day that became known as “Bloody Sunday,” hundreds of activists led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to champion voting rights. After enduring violent attacks from police officers and trekking 54 miles west, protesters arrived in Montgomery and held a demonstration at the Alabama State Capitol on March 25.

According to the city of Montgomery, 25,000 people gathered to listen to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in front of the building, which eventually helped prompt the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Two weeks ago, thousands of people including Sen. Raphael Warnock, Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries joined in Selma to reflect on the anniversary.

“We think it’s important that people understand this march was not just about style; it was about substance,” Reed said in an interview with UATL. “It wasn’t just about making a statement. It was about passing legislation and bringing about something to change.”

Reed said he felt people generally didn’t know activists kept protesting after the march to Montgomery. He felt it was important to bring in local, state and national organizations to partner on the 60th celebration.

Reed also said Civil Rights Movement activists dealt with more adversity than modern protesters because there weren’t many elected Black officials to give assistance and aid. Local and national officials were either against activists or dismissive, Reed said, and they didn’t have the advantage of technology. Still, activists had a plan.

“People had a goal or several goals — objectives that they wanted to accomplish,” Reed said. “I think sometimes that the focus is so much on the march that new generations of Americans don’t realize that that march, that sacrifice led to the Voting Rights Act (and) would open up the doors for so many people, and not just Black people in this country.”

Reed said he’s most excited to see the up-and-coming generation of activists at the anniversary event, and believes it’s important for young leaders to realize the power of their votes and voices.

“We can show them the impact they can have by engaging,” Reed said, adding that his responsibility as mayor is to help evolve the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement for growing leaders.

“There’s no excuse for us to shy away from the battle that lies ahead,” Reed stated. “We have somewhat of a debt and a responsibility to pay it forward to future generations.”

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