Selma 1965 Flashcards
Selma Alabama
SNCC still working for voter registration but white officials had many methods of stopping black people registering. Had largest WCC in Alabama
Dallas county Alabama
(Location of Selma) more black people entitled to vote than white but only 1% were registered. Despite SNCC’s work, fear of violence stopped black people from registering.
Events of January 1965
SCLC and MLK, invited by local groups, arrive in Selma and at the same time President Johnson was stressing the need for a voting rights act to make registration tests fair and help black people qualify to vote.
Events in Selma
Protests against registration tests, people trying to register, confrontations with police and violent arrests.
Johnson again spoke in favour of registration, number of protesters grew, violence increased and one protester died
Events of Sunday 7th March
600 protesters set out to march from Selma to Montgomery
Events of march from Selma to Montgomery
State troopers stopped them at Edmund Pettus Bridge near Selma. They attacked them with tear gas, clubs and electric cattle prods.
Protesters fled and were chased.
USA made world headlines for it’s abuse of black people
Congress reaction
In both parts of congress many spoke against the violence and in favour of voter registration.
Reaction of US public
Hundreds of people, black and white, marched all over the USA in support of those marchers
Johnson’s intervention
Johnson used an executive order to federalise the state national guard.
21-24th March they escorted marchers from Selma to Montgomery. King lead them and gave a speech to 25,000 in Montgomery on 25th of March