A coalition of civil rights groups and advocates will commemorate Bloody Sunday with a series of events on March 9.Â
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (Action Fund), a program of the National Trust for Preservation, Brown Chapel AME Church, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others, will host the events.
"These events will not only honor those who marched in 1965, but amplify the urgent call to restore Brown Chapel AME, a National Historic Landmark, which has been closed to the public since 2020 due to structural deterioration," said a recent press release.
The following will be present:
Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund
Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative
Reverend Leodis Strong, Brown Chapel AME Church
Congresswoman Terri Sewell, (D-AL)
Al Perry, President, Historic Brown Chapel AME Church Preservation Society
See below for a list of the events:
Saturday, March 8th, 4:00-5:30 PM | NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) Panel Discussion
Location: Edmundite Missions Dr. Michael and Catherine Bullock Community Center 1428 Broad St, Selma, AL 36701
Panel: Making Democracy Deliver
About: This panel will acknowledge that our nation’s multiracial democracy is a mere six decades old. And presently, we find the very premise of democracy under attack and Black communities at an increasingly precarious point in our nation’s history. Our panelists will discuss the tools at our disposal to turn this moment of oppression into an oasis of opportunity, and in doing so, highlight how we can collectively honor the memory and legacy of the late Hon. John R. Lewis and soldiers of the Voting Rights Movement by fighting for a democracy that delivers for all.
Notable Attendees:
Joy Ann Reid (Confirmed)
Dr. Eddie Glaude (Confirmed)
Rep. Shomari Figures (Confirmed)
Brent Leggs (Confirmed)
Sunday, March 9, 7:45AM | Press Conference
Location: Edmundite Missions Dr. Michael and Catherine Bullock Community Center 1428 Broad St, Selma, AL 36701
About: Action Fund Executive Director Brent Leggs and a special guest will join Reverend Leodis Strong, pastor of Brown Chapel AME, to share an exciting update about efforts to preserve this historic church and its role in civil rights history.
Sunday, March 9, 9:30AM | Commemorative Sunday Worship Service
Location: Edmundite Missions Dr. Michael and Catherine Bullock Community Center 1428 Broad St, Selma, AL 36701
About: Bryan Stevenson will deliver keynote remarks shedding light on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for justice today. His remarks will be followed by a worship service led by Reverend Leodis Strong.
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