Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. selected Selma, Alabama, for the protest march because it was a focal point for the civil rights movement. Selma had a history of racial discrimination and voter suppression, making it a symbolic location to highlight the injustices faced by African Americans.
In Selma, African Americans were systematically denied the right to vote through discriminatory practices such as literacy tests and poll taxes. Dr. King and other civil rights leaders believed that by organizing a march from Selma to Montgomery, they could draw national attention to these issues and pressure the federal government to enact voting rights legislation.
The march, which became known as “Bloody Sunday,” took place on March 7, 1965. It was met with violent resistance from state troopers, who attacked the peaceful demonstrators with clubs and tear gas. The brutal response was broadcast on national television, shocking the nation and galvanizing support for the civil rights movement.
Ultimately, the Selma to Montgomery marches played a crucial role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting. Dr. King’s strategic choice of Selma as the site for the protest march was instrumental in achieving this significant legislative victory.