Selma, 1964

What were the Selma marches?

The Selma to Montgomery marches, organised by civil rights activists, saw protesters march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. There were three marches in total, covering 87 kilometres.

When were the Selma marches?

The Selma to Montgomery marches took place between 7th and 25th March, 1965.

Who led the Selma marches?

The 2 main organisers of the Selma to Montgomery marches were:

• ❖ The SCLC with Martin Luther King.
• ❖ SNCC.

What was the reason for the Selma marches?

There were 2 main reasons for the Selma to Montgomery marches:

• ❖ To increase the number of African Americans registered to vote; despite Selma having a large black population, just 2% of African Americans were registered.
• ❖ To protest against the unfair registration tests.

What happened during the Selma marches?

There were 6 main events during the Selma to Montgomery marches:

• ❖ On 7th March, 1965, the protesters were stopped by state troopers who attacked them with tear gas and electric cattle prods. The incident, known as Bloody Sunday, was caught on camera.
• ❖ After Bloody Sunday was shown on television, many more people joined the march, including religious leaders and civil rights protesters.
• ❖ The second march, organised by Martin Luther King, set off on 9th March. The marches got as far as Edmund Pettus Bridge on the outskirts of Selma.
• ❖ They were met by state troopers. The marchers knelt in prayer and the troopers moved out of the way. Martin Luther King then called off the march.
• ❖ On 15th March, President Johnson publicly supported the demonstrators and called for Congress to back his voting rights bill.
• ❖ President Johnson used executive orders to put the state national guard under federal control. He ordered them to escort the Selma marchers safely to Montgomery, where they arrived on 25th March, 1965.

What were the consequences of the Selma marches?

Selma had 3 main consequences:

• ❖ Footage of African Americans being attacked on what became known as Bloody Sunday was broadcast around the world. This led to an increase in support from President Johnson.
• ❖ President Johnson used events at Selma to persuade Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act.
• ❖ The violent reaction of the state troopers and those who opposed the civil rights movement led to more a militant style of protest by some sections of the civil rights movement in the years ahead.