Edmund Pettus Bridge

The Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, is a landmark of the Civil Rights Movement, most notably the site of "Bloody Sunday" on March 7, 1965. On that day, state troopers violently attacked peaceful civil rights marchers advocating for voting rights. This event, widely televised, shocked the nation and galvanized support for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The bridge is newsworthy now because activists and politicians recently gathered there to commemorate the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday. These gatherings occur amid growing concerns about the future of the Voting Rights Act, with organizers expressing worries about its fate. The recent death of Bernard LaFayette, a key organizer in Selma who helped lay the groundwork for the Voting Rights Act, further underscores the bridge's historical significance and the ongoing struggle for voting rights.