Participants at a Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, 1965

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, Pettus, Peter, "Participants, Some Carrying American Flags, Marching in the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965," 1965

Description

The marches were organized by nonviolent activists to demonstrate the desire of African-American citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote, in defiance of segregation. The marches were part of a broader voting rights movement underway in Selma, Alabama, and throughout the American South.

Source-Dependent Questions

• Look closely at the photo. Why would the people in the march carry American flags?
• Refer back to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Discuss how these two sources are connected.
• The marches were organized by nonviolent activists to demonstrate the desire of African-American citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote, in defiance of segregation. What are the benefits of being part of a nonviolent protest? Are there any drawbacks?
• Discuss why activists would march on behalf of human rights, like voting rights.

Citation Information 

Pettus, Peter, "Participants, Some Carrying American Flags, Marching in the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965," 1965. Courtesy of Library of Congress