On March 7, 1965, a peaceful voting rights demonstration in Selma, Alabama,
was met with an unprovoked attack of shocking violence that riveted the
attention of the nation. In the days and weeks following "Bloody Sunday," the
demonstrators would not be deterred, and thousands of others joined their
cause, culminating in the successful march from Selma to Montgomery. The
protest marches led directly to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
a major piece of legislation, which, ninety-five years after the passage of
the Fifteenth Amendment, made the practice of the right to vote available to
all Americans, irrespective of race. From Selma to Montgomery chronicles the
marches, placing them in the context of the long Civil Rights Movement, and
considers the legacy of the Act, drawing parallels with contemporary issues of
enfranchisement.In five concise chapters bolstered by primary documents
including civil rights legislation, speeches, and news coverage, Combs
introduces the Civil Rights Movement to undergraduates through the courageous
actions of the freedom marchers. Read more