In Selma, Alabama, Charles Mauldin recalled his significant role at the forefront of a historic march for voting rights on the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965. This peaceful protest aimed to challenge the denial of voting rights to Black citizens and to seek justice for Jimmie Lee Jackson, a minister and advocate who was killed by law enforcement.
The marchers encountered severe opposition as state troopers, deputies, and mounted men barred their path on the bridge. What was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration turned into a violent clash when the authorities, ignoring protesters’ pleas to disperse, attacked with batons, tear gas, and electric prods, indiscriminately targeting men, women, and children. “Within a minute they took their billy clubs, holding them on both ends, began to push us back to back us in, and then they began to beat men, women, and children,” recounted Mauldin, who was just 17 at the time.
This confrontation, infamously known as Bloody Sunday, appalled the nation and subsequently fueled the push for the monumental Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 60th anniversary of this significant event was observed in Selma, with ceremonies honoring the individuals who boldly fought for the voting rights of Black Americans. The observance also included renewed calls to continue the work toward achieving equality, amidst contemporary concerns over new voting restrictions and political efforts that many fear could undermine democratic processes.
Speaking from the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries highlighted the profound impact the event in Selma had on the nation. However, he warned that this anniversary occurs during a tumultuous period, with attempts to obscure this crucial history. “At this moment, faced with trouble on every side, we’ve got to press on,” Jeffries urged, addressing a crowd that included the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other dignitaries.
Alabama’s U.S. Representative Terri Sewell reflected on how this commemoration takes place at a particularly critical time when the right to vote is under threat. She drew attention to a rising number of voting restrictions introduced since the Supreme Court’s decision invalidating a vital component of the Voting Rights Act that had mandated oversight of changes to voting laws in discriminated jurisdictions. In response, she reintroduced legislation aimed at reinstating this requirement, although it faces hurdles in Congress. This proposed law bears the name of John Lewis, another civil rights icon who marched that day across the Selma bridge.
The commemoration was to feature a ceremony and a reenactment of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Back in 1965, Mauldin walked in the third pair of the line led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams. “We had steeled our nerves to a point where we were so determined that we were willing to confront,” Mauldin reflected, emphasizing their resolute determination and indignation.
Kirk Carrington recalled the harrowing experiences of Bloody Sunday at just 13 years old. As chaos broke out, a horse-mounted officer chased him back to his home in public housing. Motivated by the disrespect he witnessed his father endure from white employers post World War II, Carrington was drawn into the movement. Standing at the church where he learned non-violent resistance tactics, he became emotional reflecting on the transformation driven by their courage. “We knew after we got older and got grown that the impact it not only had in Selma, but the impact it had in the entire world,” Carrington shared.
Dr. Verdell Lett Dawson, who grew up in Selma, reminisced about oppressive days when she was forced to avert her eyes when encountering white individuals. Now, Dawson and Mauldin express their concerns over potential rollbacks in federal agency roles, and the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle diversity and inclusion programs. “Support from the federal government is how Black Americans have been able to get justice, to get some semblance of equality,” Dawson stated, fearing a regression to attitudes and policies reminiscent of the 1950s.
Dawson passionately articulated the ongoing struggle, lamenting the potential reversal of progress made over the past six decades. “That’s a tragedy of 60 years later: what we are looking at now is a return to the 1950s,” she noted, highlighting the continuing battle for equality and justice.
