Selma to Montgomery
1965 Timeline
| February 9 | Dr. King flew to Washington to lobby
for a voting rights bill. |
| February 15 |
In a rally at the courthouse in Selma C.T. Vivian, who was leading the march, began comparing Sheriff Clark to Hilter, and while continuing to taunt him he was suddenly struck in the face. |
| February 18 | Jimmie Lee Jackson was shot in the stomach
by a state trooper. |
| February 23 |
Jimmie Lee Jackson died .  |
| March 7 |
Marchers were attacked on the Edmund Pettus Bridge by Alabama state troopers. This was known as "Bloody Sunday" |
| March 9 |
Over 1,500 people came from all over the country and marched
to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, knelt and prayed, then marched back
to Brown Chapel A.M.E.Church. This day was known as "Turnaround
Tuesday."
|
| March 9 |
Three white ministers were attacked and badly beaten. |
| March 11 |
Rev. James Reeb dies from an injury to the head.
|
| March 11 |
|
| March 11 |
President Johnson makes a speech to the country about the "Bloody Sunday" event. |
| March 21 | The march from Selma to Montgomery begins. |
|
March 25 |
Dr. King makes his speech on the steps
of the state capitol of Alabama to over 30,000 marchers. |
| March 25 |
Viola Liuzzo, was shot and killed by
the KKK while driving back to Selma from the march.
|
|
|
President Johnson signed the Voting Rights
Act into law in a ceremony in the President's Room off the Capitol
Rotunda, in the same room where Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation
Proclamation one hundred four years earlier. |
