Thousands Gather in Selma to Mark 61st Anniversary of Bloody Sunday

Civil rights advocates raise concerns about new voting restrictions in Alabama

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Thousands gathered in Selma, Alabama this weekend to commemorate the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the 1965 civil rights march where state troopers attacked peaceful protesters on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The event comes amid new concerns about voting restrictions in the state.

Why it matters

The Bloody Sunday march was a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement, leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. The annual commemoration in Selma serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for voting rights and racial justice. This year's event takes place against the backdrop of new voting laws in Alabama that some say threaten to disenfranchise minority voters.

The details

On March 7, 1965, civil rights activists attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery to protest racial discrimination and advocate for voting rights. State and local police attacked the peaceful marchers with clubs, tear gas and horses, in a violent confrontation that became known as Bloody Sunday. The events in Selma galvanized support for the Voting Rights Act, which was signed into law later that year.

  • The Bloody Sunday march took place on March 7, 1965.
  • This year's commemoration of the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday occurred this past weekend in Selma.

The players

Selma, Alabama

The city of Selma, located in central Alabama, was the site of the 1965 Bloody Sunday march and is the location of the annual commemoration event.

Edmund Pettus Bridge

The bridge in Selma where state troopers attacked civil rights marchers on Bloody Sunday in 1965.

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What’s next

Civil rights advocates plan to continue pushing for federal voting rights legislation to counter new state-level voting restrictions in Alabama and other parts of the country.

The takeaway

The annual Selma commemoration serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for voting rights and racial justice, even as new barriers to the ballot box emerge in some states.