Marches+from+Selma+to+Montgomery+1965


 * Marches from Selma to Montgomery:**

On March 7, 1965, Rev. Martin Luther King JR. led African Americans to Montgomery, Alabama in protest of disregard to blacks. 600 of them were attacked with weapons and tear gas injuring 17. This day was known as "Bloody Sunday."

They went back out on March 9th and 2,500 protesters were turned around at the main bridge by police officers and a restraining order.

This didn't stop the protesters, it just set them back. On March 16th, the restraining order was lifted, and on March 21st, they began marching again down the streets of Alabama. Their plan was to walk 10 miles a day until they reached 54 miles. There were 25,000 people there the day they reached the Montgomery capital building and for MLK's "How Long, Not Long" speech.

These marches were meant to attract attention to the fact that African Americans were being discriminated against in all sorts. These African Americans wanted rights to do what the white people do, and most importantly, they wanted voting rights. If they had to live in this country under the president's ruling, why weren't they able to vote on who they wanted ruling the country. 1

"As the world watched, the protesters (under the protection of federalized National Guard troops) finally achieved their goal, walking around the clock for three days to reach Montgomery. The historic march, and King's participation in it, greatly helped raise awareness of the difficulty faced by black voters in the South, and the need for a Voting Rights Act, passed later that year." 2 There were 50,00 supporters, black and white, that were gathered at the capital building demanding equal rights to vote.

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