AIN'T GONNA LET NOBODY TURN ME AROUND

 

Yesterday we left you with the question" Do you know where this is?" click pics to enlarge

Looking East on Broad Street at Alabama Street, Selma AL.

Bloody Sunday March 7,1965

Corner of Alabama and Broad Street Selma AL.  This is where the Selma to Montgomery march turned on to U.S.80 and started to the Edmund Pettus Bridge to cross the Alabama river on the way to Montgomery

Water and Broad street at the West end of the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

 

 Looking East on U.S. 80 from the Crest of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma Alabama

On a bright Sunday morning March 7,1965, 600 marchers in ranks of two moved slowly up the Edmund Pettus bridge rising over the Alabama river. Leading the marchers were John Lewis and Hosea Williams. The marchers had left Brown Chapel singing Aint noboby gona turn me around,now they walked quietly. 

Reaching the crown of the bridge the Marchers saw below what Lewis described as "a sea of blue" of Alabama State Troopers blocking U.S. 80. Behind the Troopers, Sheriff Clark's Posse waited on horses. Governor Wallace had vowed this vetoing rights march from Selma to Montgomery would not happen.

  The marchers stopped a few yards short of the Troopers and ask to speak to their leaders. In response the marchers were given two minutes to return to their homes or churches. When the marchers did not move the troopers advanced, hitting the marchers with their nightsticks and kicking those they went down. The posse rode directly in to the marchers. Donning gas mask, the troopers released clouds of tear gas; news film captured the Troopers beating, blinding and gagging the marchers. The marchers began running back toward the bridge stumbling over each other and trying to avoid the blows of the troopers. 

    The Troopers continued to use nightsticks, whips, and rubber hoses as they drove the marchers through the streets of Selma

As the  Troopers continued to beat the marchers after they reached Brown chapel, enraged onlookers called for retaliation.The principle of non violence was being tested in the heat of attack but the leaders were able to convince those ready to fight that this could only undermine the movement

  

March 9th " Turnaround Tuesday" tomorrow.

    2-6-2010   Our first blooms of the season

 

I plan to have a great day, I hope you will join me

Rojo