Understanding the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March and Making Connections to Today

Opposition to equality is, unfortunately, not new to the history of the United States. Recognizing the relevance of history to today’s justice and civil rights movements is crucial for understanding and countering current pushbacks against democratic values. Analyzing the opposition to the Civil Rights Movement can help us to understand the exceptional strength of the ordinary people who were part of the movement. And recognizing that racism wore both institutional and individual faces can help us to understand the importance of the movement’s achievements and the work that remains. As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, we offer these new resources to understand the legacy of Selma and to support participation in Change Starts Here (With Me) Day of Action in your communities.