President Biden to Commemorate Bloody Sunday in Selma

President Joe Biden will join thousands in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the 56th anniversary of the civil rights movement’s pivotal moment known as “Bloody Sunday.”

The president’s visit will also provide an opportunity for him to address the young generation of civil rights activists feeling dejected due to his inability to fulfil his campaign promise of upholding voting rights.

White House officials revealed that Biden will use his remarks to highlight the significance of commemorating Bloody Sunday and the importance of voting rights in delivering economic and civil rights for Black Americans.

The commemoration comes at a time when Selma is still recovering from the destruction caused by a January EF-2 tornado.

Seven activists, including Rev. William Barber II, expressed their frustration with the lack of progress on voting rights legislation to Congress and President Biden.

The group highlighted that Washington politicians visiting Selma should not sully the memories of the late civil rights activists like John Lewis and Hosea Williams with empty platitudes.

Bloody Sunday occurred on 7th March 1965, where police violence erupted against 600 peaceful demonstrators led by John Lewis and Hosea Williams.

The event came in the wake of the fatal shooting of a young Black man, Jimmie Lee Jackson, by an Alabama trooper.

Images of the violence sparked national outrage, and Martin Luther King Jr. led what became the “Turnaround Tuesday” march before President Lyndon B.

Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act of 1965 eight days after Bloody Sunday.

The Act was signed into law five months later.

Biden unveiled the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in 2021, which included provisions for restricting partisan gerrymandering, bringing transparency to the campaign finance system, and striking down hurdles to voting.

The bill failed to win passage in the Senate despite being passed in the Democratic-controlled House since Republicans control the House now.

Civil rights activists insist that the Biden administration could take more action to uphold voting rights.

Harris said that the administration would continue to implement the order while pressing Congress to act on broader voting legislation.

Selma officials hope that Biden will also address the issues of poverty laid bare by the January tornado.

Biden approved disaster declaration and agreed to provide extra financial help for cleanup and removal of debris, but many believe Selma needs more help.

The small city played a crucial role in the civil rights movement, and its contributions to the United States must be acknowledged.

Credit: https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2023/03/05/joe-biden-selma-visit-bloody-sunday-tribute-joe-biden/

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