Bill Clark
Getty
Today March 7th marks the 50 year anniversary of what is known in history as Bloody Sunday. 50 years ago 600 peaceful protesters, Black and White, attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, walking the 50 miles to Montgomery, Alabama fighting for the right too vote. They were stopped, beaten and bruised by police officers. The calamity was portrayed in the movie Selma, which outlined the events leading up to the passage of the Voter’s Rights Act of 1965.
Today, President Obama, Representative John Lewis whom President Obama says is his hero, other politicians and thousands of citizens gathered on the bridge to commemorate this moment in history.
John Lewis was a young man at the time was actually there 50 years ago on that bridge and shared his account of what happened on that fateful day.
“We were beaten, tear-gassed. Some of us were left bloody right here on this bridge. Seventeen of us were hospitalized that day, but we never became bitter or hostile. We kept believing that the truth we stood for would have the final say. This city gave birth to a movement that changed this nation forever. Our country will never, ever be the same because of what happened on this bridge.”
After he spoke, President Obama gave a rousing speech that some equate to an “I Have A Dream” moment. Check out his entire speech below:
