Selma to Montgomery March Byway: Travel the Road to Freedom

National Voting Rights Hall of Fame Names in the National Voting Rights Museum (AL) [1]

As the Selma to Montgomery March Byway winds its way from the streets of Selma, Alabama, through the gentle rolling hills of Lowndes County, and into the state's capital city of Montgomery, you will find yourself transfixed in history. Also designated as a National Historic Trail, this section of U.S. Highway has known many facets of history in its years of existence. However, it wasn't until Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., started leading voting rights demonstrations in Selma early in 1965, culminating with the historic Selma to Montgomery March, that the route became internationally known.

The first Selma march began on March 7, 1965, and came to an abrupt halt at the Edmund Pettus Bridge when scores of local police officers and Alabama state troopers attacked a band of 500 marchers with billy clubs and tear gas. Many marchers were left bloodied and severely injured. On March 9, 1965, Dr. King led a ceremonial march to Edmund Pettus Bridge and held a short prayer session there. After the first failed attempt, three weeks earlier, Dr. King marshaled forces that made their way 54 miles, on March 21, 1965, from the Edmund Pettus Bridge to Montgomery, paving the way towards one of the most important pieces of social legislation of the 20th century: equal voting rights for all American citizens.

You can relive the Selma to Montgomery March in its entirety. Visit the First Baptist Church and Brown Chapel -- the churches that housed much of the civil rights movement effort in Dallas County. See the jail where civil rights activists were imprisoned for their protests. Cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge where marchers faced physical opposition. Finally, at the end of the march in Montgomery, walk on the steps of the capitol, where King delivered his "How Long, Not Long" speech to a crowd of nearly 30,000 people. The reminiscent journey is sure to be a stirring one, especially because the actual march took place only a few decades ago.

For an overview of the struggle for equal voting rights, visit the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma. The museum is filled with first-hand accounts and testimonials of the march. These marches were moments in time that helped bring access to the ballot box to many African Americans in Southern states.

For a tangible experience of the past, head to Selma today. To gain an appreciation for what people have done to ensure liberty and justice, visit the Selma to Montgomery March Byway.