Civil rights marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, were beaten by state troopers in full view of the nation's cameras. The televised brutality shocked the country and built the momentum that passed the Voting Rights Act months later. A bridge, a beating, and a nation finally forced to look.
Common Questions About March 7
What happened on March 7 in American history?
In 1965: "Bloody Sunday" in Selma. Civil rights marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, were beaten by state troopers in full view of the nation's cameras.
Why is March 7 significant?
Civil rights marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, were beaten by state troopers in full view of the nation's cameras. The televised brutality shocked the country and built the momentum that passed the Voting Rights Act months later. A bridge, a beating, and a nation finally forced to look.
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