Bridge Crossing Jubilee organizers unveiled the slate of events planned for the 61st anniversary of Bloody Sunday that is the first week of March.
In a press conference on Thursday, organizers highlighted events including an all day, free music festival on Saturday, March 7. The festival will follow the annual parade and culminate with the symbolic “All Boots on the Bridge” gathering on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Apostle G. Godfrey, who returned home to Selma for this year’s events, said the festival reflects the resilience and joy that have always fueled the movement that is in honor of protests for equality and voting rights.
“As a people, we celebrate everything with dance, birth, death, weddings, victory,” she said. “We’re going to celebrate our victory over the enemy in dance.”
The lineup includes gospel legend Dottie Peoples, jazz performers from Pennsylvania, blues poet Smoke of The Last Poets and Selma’s own Voices of Triumph Emerging. Pastor Troy, Michael Montana, RSV Wu and other hip-hop artists will also take the stage.
Jubilee founder Faya Rose Toure said this year’s celebration is designed not only to honor the past but to energize a new generation. “We want to inspire our children to really understand and know this history,” she said. “We’re here to celebrate and commemorate, and to move forward.”
Dr. Adia Winfrey, coordinator of the Inter-generational Hip-Hop Political Summit, said the summit continues to bridge culture and civic engagement.
“It’s time for this message to get to the community, helping them understand the connection from hip-hop to political organizing,” Winfrey said. “It’s not just entertainment. It’s about mobilizing people.”
This year’s summit will feature artists, foot soldiers and youth leaders, with a focus on honoring movement elders while empowering young people to take their place in Selma’s ongoing story.
For the first time, the City of Selma will sponsor a Children’s Village, offering contests, educational activities and history-focused programming. Organizers will also distribute $2 bills to children who locate and speak with a foot soldier.
While Saturday’s events are free, Sunday’s schedule will include ticketed programming to support the National Voting Rights Museum, which Toure said is in “dire need of funds.”
Sunday performers will include Selma native and The Voice winner Asher Havon, along with acclaimed gospel artist Bonita Jones.
Former Tuskegee mayor and World Conference of Mayors founder Johnny Ford emphasized Selma’s global significance and the need to sustain the movement’s legacy.
“What happened on Bloody Sunday brought about change not only in this country but around the world,” Ford said. “It is more important now than ever before that we revive and keep alive this civil rights struggle.”
Toure echoed concerns that Selma has been too often celebrated but not materially supported by visitors, including high-profile figures.
“People come to Selma and leave nothing,” she said. “We have to unite and let the world know we are prepared for change, and I think we are now.”
Organizers noted that additional announcements, including nationally known guests, will be released soon. The Jubilee will also feature the Miss Jubilee Pageant, Freedom Flame Awards, the Unity Breakfast and multiple children’s contests.
“We mainly operate on volunteers,” Toure said. “If we had to pay for all of this, it would cost thousands. But we do it because Selma still touches the world.”
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