Selma Freedom Ride Rally aims to raise $100K for local schools

A four-day rally featuring motorcycles, live entertainment, history, food and tours will bring visitors to Selma this Labor Day weekend with a larger goal in mind — raising money for local schools.

The Selma Freedom Ride Rally will run Thursday, Sept. 3, through Sunday, Sept. 6, with events planned throughout the city. Organizer Michael Martin, a Selma native and 2001 graduate of Southside High School, said the event was created as a way to generate ongoing support for schools rather than making a one-time contribution.

“The initiative behind this rally is to raise money for the schools of Selma,” Martin said. “A lot of the schools are underfunded and not getting the care that they deserve.”

Organizers have set a goal of raising $100,000, with Southside High School selected as the first school to benefit.

“I’ve got to take care of my home school first,” Martin said.

The long-term vision, he said, is to support a different school with $100,000 each year and eventually grow the rally enough to provide that level of support to multiple schools.

Martin said the event is also designed to introduce out-of-town visitors to Selma’s history, culture, businesses and people.

Activities begin Thursday with Vendor Village, a meet-and-greet and a “Taste of the Town” highlighting Selma food and businesses. Thursday night will feature an outdoor showing of the movie “Selma.”

“We have a lot of out-of-town guests that don’t know anything about Selma,” Martin said. “We want to make sure we get them to our culture.”

Friday’s schedule includes a foot soldier discussion highlighting Selma’s civil rights history, along with DJs, meet-and-greets, bingo, a comedy show and live jazz.

Saturday will be one of the busiest days of the rally, with motorcycle competitions, a car show at the Lions Fairgrounds and activities at the Riverfront Amphitheater, including line dancing. Concerts, comedy and a Divine 9 Showdown are also among the weekend activities included with rally admission.

For Martin, a motorcycle enthusiast, Sunday will bring the centerpiece of the weekend — the Freedom Ride from Selma to Montgomery.

Participants will gather at Brown Chapel AME Church Sunday morning for a ceremony before riding to the Edmund Pettus Bridge for another ceremony. Riders will then travel to Montgomery and conclude the weekend at the Alabama State Capitol.

Martin said basing the rally in Selma was important to him, even when others encouraged organizers to move more of the event to Montgomery.

“My home is Selma,” he said. “I want to take care of my home. I want to build economic growth here in my city.”

That means rally participants will not only attend events but also stay in Selma hotels, eat at local restaurants, shop and visit attractions throughout the four-day weekend.

Martin said hotels have been booking up as visitors make plans for the rally. Organizers are also helping connect visitors with rooms at the historic St. James Hotel as it prepares to reopen.

Tours will also help visitors explore the city. Organizers have scheduled four tours per day Sept. 3-5, including tours led by local guides such as Terry Chestnut.

Martin said the goal is for the rally’s economic impact to extend beyond the money raised directly for schools.

“Everybody’s going to benefit,” he said.

A general rally wristband is $70 and provides access to most events throughout the weekend, including vendor village, the movie, day parties, comedy shows, concerts, the Divine Nine Showdown and the motorcycle and car shows. Karaoke and bingo require separate admission.

Selma residents who show identification confirming they live in the city receive a $10 discount.

A VIP wristband is $110, or $100 for Selma residents, and includes the additional activities along with preferred seating at events.

Registration to enter a vehicle in the car show is $30. Spectator admission to individual events such as the car show is available for those who do not purchase a weekend wristband.

Martin emphasized that the admission fees have a purpose beyond providing a weekend of entertainment.

“This is a fundraiser for the students,” he said.

People who cannot attend can still contribute through the rally website https://www.selmafreedomride.com/registration, with donations accepted in any amount.

“We take as little as $5, and you’ll be surprised how much $5 can do and help us reach our goal of $100,000 or more,” Martin said.

More information, registration and donations are available at SelmaFreedomRide.com. Organizers can also be reached at selmafreedomrr@gmail.com or 240-525-7318.

For Martin, the rally is ultimately about investing in Selma while creating something that can grow and continue helping young people for years to come.

“I’m just trying to make sure that the next generation can have something they can look back and say, ‘Okay, yeah, I was a part of that. I did that,’” Martin said.

Community Correspondent Angela Benjamin contributed to this report.