Edmund Pettus Bridge
Selma, Dallas County, Alabama
Marker Inscription
On 'Bloody Sunday,' March 7, 1965, voting-rights marchers were beaten here by state troopers. The Selma-to-Montgomery marches followed, leading to the Voting Rights Act.
Erected by National Park Service
The Story
Some 600 marchers crossing the bridge toward Montgomery were attacked by police with clubs and tear gas. Televised nationwide, the violence galvanized support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Why it matters
Selma is a defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement — the march that helped secure the right to vote.
Related people
- · John Lewis
- · Martin Luther King Jr.
Related events
- · Selma to Montgomery marches
- · Bloody Sunday
Themes & tags
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