On March 7, 1965, during a peaceful voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery a violent event unfolded that became known as Bloody Sunday. Led by civil rights leaders, including John Lewis and Hosea Williams, demonstrators aimed to demand the right to vote for Black Americans, who faced discriminatory barriers to voter registration.
The March was prompted by the death of Jamie Lee Jackson in Marion Alabam on February 18th 1965. Jackson a black activist was shot and killed by an Alabama State trooper. Community organizers aimed to take their grievances directly to the capital. As marchers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they were met with brutal violence from state troopers wielding batons and tear gas. The unprovoked attack on peaceful protesters, shocked the nation and galvanized support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Bloody Sunday highlighted the urgency of securing voting rights for Black Americans and exposed the systemic racism and brutality of segregationist forces in the South.
The Joy Trip Project celebrates the enduring legacy of Black American History. The Unhidden Minute is part of the Unhidden Podcast Project supported through a National Geographic Explorer Grant from the National Geographic Society, with the cooperation of the National Park Service. This series elevates the untold stories of Black American historical figures, events and cultural contributions.
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Bloody Sunday