Decades ago, Central Alabama served as the home base for the Civil Rights Movement. Today the region is a hub of American history, though the work of its freedom fighters lives on through museums, churches, and the outreach of ordinary citizens.
Many of those citizens will take to the streets on and around March 7, which marks the sixtieth anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the infamous incident in which hundreds of peaceful protestors encountered violent opposition from state troopers and local posses during the first march from Selma to Montgomery. Both of those cities will be marking the occasion, so if you’ve been considering a visit to Alabama to learn more about the movement that shook the nation, here are a few events to plan your trip around.
Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee
March 6–9, Selma
Lovingly nicknamed the Annual Pilgrimage to Selma, the Jubilee is the keynote event of this historic anniversary. And while it always includes a march to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site where Bloody Sunday occurred, things get even more special every five years as the marchers continue all the way to Montgomery over the course of five days. If you can’t commit to the full march—which begins Monday, March 10, and concludes Friday—you can enjoy plenty of family-oriented activities the weekend prior. This year’s festivities include a mock trial, a battle of the bands, a pageant, a hip-hop summit, a children’s sojourn, a gospel concert, a street festival, and of course, the signature parade on Saturday night. Previous Jubilee guests have ranged from presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush to OutKast and Drew Barrymore, so you just might bump into someone famous.
Civil Rights Memorial Center Wreath Laying Ceremony
March 7, Montgomery
After opening its doors in 1971 on the heels of the Civil Rights Movement, the Southern Poverty Law Center unveiled the Civil Rights Memorial Center just across the street from its office in 1989. One of the center’s most noteworthy annual events is its wreath laying ceremony, which commemorates Bloody Sunday and honors the many martyrs who made the movement impossible to ignore. Iconic voting rights activist John Lewis regularly anchored the event until his death in 2020, and the successor of his congressional seat, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, is expected to speak at the ceremony for the third year in a row. After the wreath has been laid, visitors can join current and former political pacesetters as well as local community leaders on a commemorative march from the center to the steps of the Alabama State Capitol.
Selma to Montgomery Relay
March 14–15, Selma/Montgomery
The Civil Rights Race Series aims to promote education, health and wellness, and economic development in a group of Southern cities, and the Selma to Montgomery Relay is the most unique event on their calendar. Anyone interested in running the nine-leg relay race can form their own team or request to join an existing one, and if you prefer a solo excursion, you can hop on a bike and join hundreds of other cyclists along the trail. Whether you choose legs or tires, you’ll be covering fifty-one miles as you follow in the footsteps of the marchers, who took a similar route in 1965. The events start in Selma and end at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, and there are virtual options for anyone eager to run or ride from afar. Spectators are encouraged to cheer on the racers along the route or applaud the winners at the awards ceremony on Saturday.
