2026

        Bloody Sunday

On February 18, 1965, while unarmed and participating in a peaceful voting rights march in his city, Jimmie Lee Jackson was beaten by troopers and fatally shot by an Alabama state trooper. Jackson died eight days later in the hospital. His death helped inspire the Selma to Montgomery marches, three protest marches for the rights of Black Americans to vote, held over a span of 19 days in March of 1965.

The first march occurred on March 7. On this date, about 600 peaceful voting-rights marchers, led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams, were attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge enroute to the State capital of Montgomery. they were met by Alabama state troopers and local law enforcement, who ordered them to disperse. Within moments, officers charged the crowd...using tear gas, clubs, and whips. Dozens were injured; images of the violence were broadcast nationwide. This date, March 7, 1965, is referred to as Bloody Sunday.

The brutality shocked the country and galvanized public support for civil rights. It directly led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory practices like literacy tests and empowered federal oversight of elections.

This event also served as a reminder of the First Amendment, giving Americans the right to assemble peacefully. Unfortunately in 2026, this right is being jeopardized as evidenced by the recent tragedies happening in Minnesota where authorities are using violent force against protesters.