Recently, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march. It was in 1965 that men and women, Black and White, and of all ages made this historic walk to protest racial intolerance.
Men like John Lewis and Hosea Williams will be in our history books forever as they were among hundreds who made that eventful walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Now that the anniversary is behind us and the speeches have been made, what have we learned from this significant event in our nation’s history?
First and foremost, I believe that people genuinely care deeply about this country despite its continued racial divide. The majority of Americans want to eradicate racism and sexism. We know that the Selma March and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 will forever be linked together. However, we see restrictions are now being placed on our ability to vote in some states.
It grieves me that any state would try to limit our right as citizens to vote. But we see it unfolding right in front of our eyes. If there is ever a time to contact our state and national legislators, it is now.
Many young people were there marching and I can only hope they marched with a purpose. The pomp and the circumstance without the commitment and the compassion are hollow. One of the recent Selma marchers, Margaret Howard, told USA TODAY, “There’s been great progress but it feels like as a country we’re 10 years behind where we should be at this point.”
The racial climate in America continues to be a stumbling block that derails any progress that we make. Just when we think a modicum of victory has been won, something happens. It seems as if “something happening” has been an ongoing refrain for much too long now.
