America's Voting Rights Marches And Act Of 1965

President Obama marched to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.

By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 7, 2015

Selma, Alabama - Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery, Alabama marches led by Reverend Martin Luther King to fight for Afro-Americans Constitutional right to vote. Two earlier unsuccessful attempts to reach Montgomery, March 7, 1965 and two days later led to a third unified and solidarity march by Whites, civil rights activists and Afro-Americans on March 21 and on March 25, 1965 more than 25,000 people reached Montgomery, the state capitol escorted by military police who kept racist local and state police from using dogs and high pressure fire water hoses against peaceful marchers. The military prevented White supremacist groups and town locals along the route from stopping or blocking civil rights marchers from reaching Montgomery as previously encountered.
On August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson while the Reverend Martin Luther King and other civil rights leaders witnessed Johnson sign the Voting Rights Act into law.
Today, President Barack H. Obama, his family and hundreds of Americans marched to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Selma to Montgomery marches of 1965.