"I heard something click, when I photographed the Edmund Petus bridge November 2022. I heard Sunday March 7, 1965. I heard dogs, horses, cries, all currency blowing in the wind, paying the price of change. Bridges connect, this bridge connects a less than pleasant past to promises of a brighter future. I heard it with my own eyes that night."
~ John Simmons
The Edmund Pettus Bridge remains a symbol of the struggle for civil rights and equality in the United States.
March 7, 1965, civil rights activists led by figures like John Lewis and Hosea Williams attempted to march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, as part of the Selma to Montgomery marches to demand equal voting rights for African Americans. This event became known as "Bloody Sunday" because state troopers and law enforcement officers met the peaceful demonstrators on the bridge and brutally attacked them with clubs and tear gas.
The violent confrontation on the Edmund Pettus Bridge drew national attention and outrage, leading to increased support for the civil rights movement. It ultimately played a crucial role in the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting.
Our friend John Simmons reminds us to remember the courage and determination of the civil rights activists who marched on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. We must continue to remember this moment as we continue working for social justice and civil rights today. It serves as a testament to the power of nonviolent protest and grassroots organizing in the face of adversity. Thank you John for this powerful image.
