1965 Martin Luther King decided to launch a

1965 Martin Luther King decided to launch a protest march about the Blacks right to vote in Selma, Alabama WHY? • He believed the right to vote without fear or difficulty was vital if civil rights were to be won • Voter registration qualifications in the South often made it impossible for Blacks to vote

Why was voting so important? • Without the vote Black citizens had no voice • Black politicians could be elected if Blacks could vote • If Black politicians were elected they could help make improvements for Blacks

Why was 1965 a good time to act? • Martin Luther King had just been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his civil rights work – An international award only given to very special people • He was now world famous and could use his fame to push for more civil rights

Why did MLK chose Selma, Alabama for the protest? • Alabama – state with greatest resistance to civil rights • Selma - only 325 out of 15, 000 blacks registered to vote • Blacks who tried to register to vote were prevented • Jan – Feb 1965 protests in Selma led to the shooting of one Black protestor • Governor of Alabama, George Wallace promised ‘Segregation forever!’

Martin Luther King is arrested… • 1 Feb 1965 MLK deliberately got himself arrested • His arrest was planned as a publicity stunt

Martin Luther King is arrested… WHY? • March in Selma was planned for a month later • Shortly after winning the Nobel Peace Prize so MLK’s arrest would be big news

The march begins… • Took place 7 March 1965 – aim was to march from Selma to Birmingham

The march begins… • Took place 7 March 1965 – aim was to march from Selma to Birmingham • 600 marchers crossed a bridge on outskirts of Selma

The march begins… • Met by 200 state troopers and local police on horseback armed with tear gas, sticks and bull whips

The march begins… • The marchers were ordered to turn back • When they refused they were attacked by the law enforcers

The march begins… • Marchers were beaten, whipped, trampled on by horses and tear gas was used • 17 marchers were hospitalized

• USA was shocked by the images on TV • Day became known as ‘Bloody Sunday’ The chief function of the Civil Rights movement has been to awaken the nation’s conscience. Hundreds of people dropped whatever they were doing, some would leave home without changing clothes, would borrow money, hitch-hike, board planes, buses and trains, travel thousands of miles with no luggage; all these people would move for a single purpose: to place themselves alongside the Negroes they had watched on television. George Leonard, US Journalist who watched the events of ‘Bloody Sunday’

The US army protects the march… • March 21, the march began again • This time US troops protected the marchers • They reached Birmingham March 25 • However, on the same day the KKK shot and killed one of the marchers

Result of the March • Aug 1965 Congress passed the Voting Rights Act • This act removed various barriers to voting registrations – E. g. literacy tests and checks on poll tax

How successful was the voting rights act? % OF BLACK POPULATION REGISTERED TO VOTE State 1964 1968 Alabama Florida Georgia Mississippi South Carolina 14 26 22 4 11 56 62 56 59 56 • Within 3 years most of the Black population of the south were registered to vote • White politicians now needed Black votes to stay in power • Some Blacks saw an opportunity to became politicians themselves

• "Sunday Bloody Sunday” • U 2 • • I can't believe the news today Oh, I can't close my eyes And make it go away How long. . . How long must we sing this song How long, how long. . . 'cause tonight. . . we can be as one Tonight. . . • • Broken bottles under children's feet Bodies strewn across the dead end street But I won't heed the battle call It puts my back up Puts my back up against the wall • • • Sunday, Bloody Sunday • • And the battle's just begun • There's many lost, but tell me who • has won The trench is dug within our hearts • And mothers, children, brothers, sisters • Torn apart • • Sunday, Bloody Sunday • • How long. . . How long must we sing this song How long, how long. . . 'cause tonight. . . we can be as one • Tonight. . . tonight. . . • • Sunday, Bloody Sunday • • • Wipe the tears from your eyes Wipe your tears away Oh, wipe your tears away (Sunday, Bloody Sunday) • • Oh, wipe your blood shot eyes (Sunday, Bloody Sunday) Sunday, Bloody Sunday (Sunday, Bloody Sunday) And it's true we are immune When fact is fiction and TV reality And today the millions cry We eat and drink while tomorrow they die (Sunday, Bloody Sunday) The real battle just begun To claim the victory Jesus won On. . . Sunday Bloody Sunday. . .