Those who knew and loved civil rights leader Joanne Bland of Selma have been sharing outpourings of messages after her death on Thursday after a long illness.
Bland was a child when she marched for equal voting rights with thousands of protestors over the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday in 1965. In her adulthood, she led efforts to educate others about the Civil Rights Movement, about Selma’s role in the effort and worked to preserve Selma civil rights landmarks.
US Rep. Terri Sewell, a Selma native, said she was heartbroken to learn of the passing of Ms. JoAnne Bland, a freedom fighter and daughter of Selma, Alabama.
“It was Foot Soldiers like JoAnne who put their lives and freedom on the line for the right of all Americans to vote,” Sewell said in a statement. “As the founder of Foot Soldiers Park in Selma, Joanne dedicated her life to ensuring that the rich history of The Movement was preserved for generations to come.”
Terry Chestnut, son of lawyer and civil rights leader JL Chestnut, credited Bland for his career as a Selma tour guide, teaching visitors about the history of the Queen City.
“She was an institution in her own right,” he said. She told me things like, “What you put in your head can't nobody take away, knowledge is power, the more you know the further you'll go, the more you learn the more you'll earn! She would even quote the Bible to me! Get thy knowledge and with all thy getting get understanding! My heart is very heavy today, but I have vowed to me Joann Bland's legacy will last and reign an eternity!”
Selma Mayor Johnny Moss III said.” Selma has lost one of her greatest daughters.”
“The passing of Jo Ann Bland is a devastating loss to our city, our state, and our nation. Ms. Bland was not just a witness to history; she helped shape it. As a child foot soldier in the movement, a marcher in 1965, a defender of voting rights, and a co-founder of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, she carried the spirit of Selma with strength, truth, and unwavering courage.”
He credited her vision of Foot Soldiers Park that helped ensure “the everyday men, women, and children who marched for freedom would never be forgotten. She dedicated her life to ensuring the story of Selma was told honestly, boldly, and without compromise.”
“Jo Ann Bland marched so America could move forward. Selma will never forget her footsteps. And we will continue marching ever forward in her honor,” he added in his statement.
Former City Council President Billy Young grew up with Bland and her sister Lynda Lowery, who passed away in December, babysitting for him. Later in life, Bland was a neighbor, living next door to him.
“Ms. Bland made the world a better place. But to us, she was more than a global symbol of courage and resilience, she was Selma’s Joanne Bland. She belonged to the people. And we belonged to her,” Young said.
Former City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin, who worked with Bland at Foot Soldiers Park, called her an “icon.”
“She helped to raise and mold so many of Selma’s children and their children, including me,” Benjamin said. “She reminded me that she knew me in the wound and that she cared about my well-being. She was a great editor who also knew how to layout a party design in her sleep.”
Benjamin said she encouraged her to write for area news agencies (she is a correspondent for the Black Belt News Network) and she even wrote a poem about a rose (also her mother’s name). “She loved my mom, so she published it…with a smile.”
“She was a walking talking history book and I was happy to have sat in the company of such a giant,” Benjamin said.
Agencies across the country have expressed sadness about losing Bland. The Association of African American Museums called her an American hero. The Legal Defense Fund called her a legend. Southern Poverty Law Center encouraged others to stand up for what they believe like Bland.
Bland’s granddaughter Jasmine Bowie, who worked with her grandmother at Foot Soldiers Park, asked for photos of Bland to be sent to Jasmyn2329@gmail.com.
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