Obama marks 55th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday’ march

by Marty Johnson - 03/07/20 11:22 AM ET

Former President Obama on Saturday tweeted in remembrance of the 55th anniversary of the Selma, Ala., “Bloody Sunday” march.

“55 years ago, when a group of civil rights organizers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they carried America with them,” Obama tweeted. “Today, let’s honor that legacy by continuing their work to protect and exercise our foundational right to vote.”

55 years ago, when a group of civil rights organizers crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, they carried America with them. Today, let’s honor that legacy by continuing their work to protect and exercise our foundational right to vote. pic.twitter.com/zhMeTA3kFj

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) March 7, 2020

His tweet included a photo from 2015, when he held a march in Selma for the 50th anniversary of what is known as the Bloody Sunday march.

“We just need to open our eyes, and ears, and our hearts, to know that this nation’s racial history still casts its long shadow upon us,” Obama said at the time.

The violent 1965 clash between 600 civil rights marchers and white police officers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge outside of Selma served as a catalyst for the creation of the Voting Rights Act.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who had his skull fractured by a white police officer in the march, also paid tribute to the anniversary, calling for voters to “redeem the soul of America” in November’s general election.

“We must go out and vote like we’ve never voted before,” the civil rights icon said at a commemorative event in Selma last Sunday. “Speak up. Speak out. Get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.”