Four Transferable Lessons from Selma on the 59th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday

As we commemorate the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” last weekend — which was the transcendent point of the Selma movement for voting rights in 1965 — it is crucial to reflect on the implications of what transpired and its relevance to our current work and time. I unpack four key lessons below that can be gleaned from Selma that are transferable to today.

1. The bigger purpose superseded tension among organizations and individuals.

Dr. Marcus BrightThere was a significant level of tension among individuals and organizations that had been doing work to advance voting rights in Selma and the surrounding areas. Members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) had been on the ground working there since 1962 and there was tension with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), who had been called in to assist the movement there in 1965. Several SNCC members felt that they had been the foot soldiers of the movement and SCLC had often garnered most of the attention and credit.

There were also tactical differences as SCLC focused more on mobilizing people for direct action that could prompt broader legislative action while SNCC focused more on organizing in communities for a longer period of time and facilitating the development of local leadership.

SNCC as an organization voted to not participate in the march in Selma on March 7, 1965, that eventually would become known as “Bloody Sunday” over the objection of their chairperson, John Lewis. Lewis decided to join the march anyway as an individual who was not there on behalf of the organization. SCLC’s Hosea Williams also campaigned to convince King to approve the march for that Sunday though King initially wanted him to wait until Monday when he could join them. King was in Atlanta preaching at Ebenezer Baptist Church on that Sunday.

Despite these internal rifts and tactical disagreements, the broader goal of achieving federal intervention to dismantle barriers to the ballot box in Selma and beyond remained paramount. The movement transcended individual egos and organizational rivalries, highlighting the importance of uniting diverse factions toward a common, overarching objective.

This underscores the significance of collective action and solidarity in effecting lasting change. While disagreements and divisions may arise within movements, it is imperative to prioritize the shared mission over personal grievances or organizational differences. In the grand scheme of things, what truly matters is the enduring impact and positive transformation brought about by a united front working toward a common goal.