Today marks the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.”

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Fellow activist,

On March 7, 1965, 600 activists of the civil rights movement, led by the late Congressman John Lewis and other prominent Black leaders, set out to march 54 miles from Selma, Alabama, to the Montgomery state capitol for the right to vote.

According to The National Archives, these marchers, walking silently in sets of two, were stopped at the end of the Edmund Pettus Bridge (named for a Confederate general) by 150 Alabama state troopers, sheriff’s deputies, and others.

The troops announced they had a two-minute warning to disperse, but after about one minute, they advanced, brutally attacking the marchers, “wielding clubs, bullwhips, and tear gas.” Fifty-eight people were treated for injuries, including John Lewis, who suffered a skull fracture after being hit with a billy club multiple times by a State Trooper.

Today, we commemorate the 59th anniversary of this moment, known as “Bloody Sunday.”
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The televised attacks shocked the nation, leading to increased public support for the fight against racial injustice. Six months later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

Unfortunately, nearly 60 years later, the work to protect voting rights is far from over. The Voting Rights Act has since been gutted, and we continually see attacks aimed at stifling the power of Black and brown voters. That’s why we show up every day, year-round, to ensure every Pennsylvanian has the right to make their voices heard.

We hope you’ll join us today in honoring those who fought for our rights by renewing the commitment to expanding and transforming the electorate and ensuring all voters understand the power of their vote and have what they need to cast a ballot in every election.

In solidarity,

Team NPP

The New Pennsylvania Project (NPP) is a voting rights organization with a year-round primary focus on voter registration, civic education, and mobilization. NPP centers historically disenfranchised and often neglected Black, Indigenous and other people of color, immigrant communities and the youth in our work. Through civic engagement, we ensure all eligible voters feel compelled to exercise their freedom to vote in the Commonwealth.

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New Pennsylvania Project
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West Chester, PA 19381
United States

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