Fifty years ago, on March 7, 1965, hundreds of people gathered in Selma, Alabama to march to the capital city of Montgomery. They marched to ensure
that African Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote
— even in the face of a segregationist system that wanted to make it impossible.
What was the main purpose of the Selma marches in 1964?
The marches were organized by nonviolent activists to
demonstrate the desire of African-American citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote
, in defiance of segregationist repression; they were part of a broader voting rights movement underway in Selma and throughout the American South.
What was the goal of the Selma march quizlet?
What was the purpose of the march?
To protest against the voting rights
.
Why was the Selma march planned?
SCLC had chosen to focus its efforts in Selma because they anticipated that
the notorious brutality of local law enforcement under Sheriff Jim Clark would attract national attention and pressure President Lyndon B. Johnson and Congress to enact new national voting rights legislation
.
Why did Martin Luther King turn around on the bridge in Selma?
He did so as a symbolic gesture. LeRoy Collins, the governor of Florida,
suggested he should first pray as he arrives on the bridge
, and then turn around and lead all of the protesters back to Selma in an attempt to get a symbolic accomplishment of crossing the bridge while keeping everyone safe.
What was the outcome of the Selma march?
Eventually, the march went on unimpeded — and the echoes of its significance reverberated so loudly in Washington, D.C., that
Congress passed the Voting Rights Act
, which secured the right to vote for millions and ensured that Selma was a turning point in the battle for justice and equality in the United States.
Why did they choose to hold the march in Selma quizlet?
Why did the march happen? Because, even after the Civil Rights Act in 1964,
efforts by the SCLC and the SNCC to register black voters were met with resistance in the South
. … Because the governor, George Wallace, had led an open opposition to black voter registration.
Why was the Brown vs Board of Education decision important quizlet?
The ruling of the case “Brown vs the Board of Education” is, that
racial segregation is unconstitutional in public schools
. This also proves that it violated the 14th amendment to the constitution, which prohibits the states from denying equal rights to any person.
What are the two tasks that elections accomplish?
Understand the tasks that elections accomplish, according to democratic theory. The two tasks that elections accomplish are
selecting policymakers and shaping public policy
. The greater the policy differences between the candidates, the more likely voters will be able to steer government policies by their choices.
How long did the Selma march last?
A north view of Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma, Alabama. The Selma-to-Montgomery March for voting rights ended
three weeks
–and three events–that represented the political and emotional peak of the modern civil rights movement.
What was an important effect of the March on Washington?
The march was
successful in pressuring the administration of John F. Kennedy to initiate a strong federal civil rights bill in Congress
. During this event, Martin Luther King delivered his memorable “I Have a Dream” speech. The 1963 March on Washington had several precedents.
What happened in Selma after Bloody Sunday made national news?
The footage of protesters in Selma being beaten shocked the country. In the ensuing days, hundreds of Americans jumped into planes, buses and automobiles to get to Selma and stand with the brutalized marchers.
The landmark Voting Rights Act passed with remarkable speed
, just five months after Bloody Sunday.
What happened at the Selma bridge?
The Edmund Pettus Bridge was the
site of the conflict of Bloody Sunday on
March 7, 1965, when police attacked Civil Rights Movement demonstrators with horses, billy clubs, and tear gas as they were attempting to march to the state capital, Montgomery.
What happened in Selma Alabama in the spring of 1965?
On March 7, 1965, when
then-25-year-old activist John Lewis led over 600 marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge
in Selma, Alabama and faced brutal attacks by oncoming state troopers, footage of the violence collectively shocked the nation and galvanized the fight against racial injustice.
Why is Selma Alabama famous?
The city is best known for
the 1960s Selma Voting Rights Movement and the Selma to Montgomery marches
, beginning with “Bloody Sunday” in March 1965 and ending with 25,000 people entering Montgomery at the end of the last march to press for voting rights.
Why was Leroy Collins sent by Selma Alabama after Bloody Sunday?
Collins was sent to Selma by President Lyndon Johnson, who was shocked by the violence of Bloody Sunday. Collins’
charge was to prevent more bloodshed
. King was preparing to lead 2,000 protestors on anothermarch to Montgomery.
