Joanne Bland, prominent Selma foot soldier and civil rights educator, dies

One of the Civil Rights Movement’s most prolific foot soldiers has passed away.

Selma’s Joanne Bland, 72, who grew up in GWC Homes and founded Foot Soldiers Park as a legacy to tell the stories of those like her who fought for equal rights in the 1960s, died on Thursday after an illness. 

Bland’s family released a statement Thursday afternoon saying, “Bland departed this life surrounded by love, leaving behind a legacy of strength, grace, and unwavering dedication to her family and community.”

“Ms. Bland was a woman of remarkable character whose presence touched countless lives. Her kindness, wisdom, and enduring spirit will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew her. She was a pillar of faith, resilience, and compassion, and her impact will continue to be felt for generations to come.”

The family said they will be making arrangements to celebrate her life and will release details soon with memorial service and funeral information.

“The family extends their sincere gratitude for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from friends, colleagues, and the community.”

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Bland told the Selma Sun in 2021 about going with her grandmother and caregiver, Sylvia Johnson, to activities related to the Civil Rights Movement. “Wherever my grandmother went, we had to go,” Bland said. “So I grew up in the movement. I thought that this is what everyone did, at least people who looked like me.”

Bland left Selma to serve in the armed forces but returned in 1989 and wanted to be a part of sharing the stories of her foot soldier experience.

Bland founded and operated Journeys For the Soul tour company that provided tours to those visiting Selma who wanted to learn more about the Queen City’s role in the Civil Rights Movement, especially the Selma to Montgomery march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 when protestors were beaten on Bloody Sunday.

While working at the National Voting Rights Museum, she learned the original cement slab on which the foot soldiers gathered before the march was still there. She decided it should be preserved and secured grants to grow Foot Soldiers Park into an active educator of the movement. 

In 2024, Foot Soldiers Park moved into administrative offices in the former Selma Times-Journal building on Water Avenue facing the Alabama River. The organization has plans to build an education center at the property by GWC Homes that would serve as a lasting legacy for Joanne Bland.