Walking Together Still: Reflecting on Selma’s 60th Anniversary

• Equality, Integrity, Peace

Walking Together Still: Reflecting on Selma's 60th Anniversary

Sixty years ago, the streets of Selma, Alabama, echoed with the determined footsteps of those marching for voting rights. Among them were Friends, answering the call to bear witness to injustice and to walk in solidarity with our Black siblings.

As we commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches, we pause and reflect on the enduring power of that moment. The images of peaceful protestors met with the horrific violence of "Bloody Sunday," the courage of those who persisted, and the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, all remain potent reminders of the ongoing struggle for justice.

A group of teenagers holding signs honoring key figures in the Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama, on March 9, 2025. Tens of thousands gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the 1965 attack on peaceful civil rights demonstrators that helped trigger passage of the Voting Rights Act. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
A group of teenagers holding signs honoring key figures in the Civil Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama, on March 9, 2025. Tens of thousands gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the 1965 attack on peaceful civil rights demonstrators that helped trigger passage of the Voting Rights Act. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

For Quakers, Selma was a pivotal moment. It was a tangible expression of our testimonies of equality and peace. We put our faith into action, standing alongside those facing oppression, and working toward a more just and equitable society.

Yet, as we look back, we must also acknowledge the work that remains. Voter suppression continues to be a reality, and the fight for racial justice is far from over.

This anniversary is not simply a historical marker. It is a call to action.

How are we, as Friends, continuing the work begun in Selma?

Let us remember the words of Quaker activist Bayard Rustin, a key organizer of the march: "We need in every community a group of angelic troublemakers." May we, as Friends, continue to be those "angelic troublemakers," walking together in the spirit of Selma, striving for a world where justice and equality prevail.

Let us carry the torch of Selma forward, remembering that our journey toward a more just world is a continuous walk, a walk we continue together.

Rev. Bernard LaFayette (center, in wheelchair and cloth cap) holds his wife Kate’s hand as they are wheeled over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 9, 2025 as part of 60th anniversary commemorations of Bloody Sunday, the 1965 attack on peaceful civil rights protestors that led to the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the Voting Rights Act. LaFayette ran the Selma voting rights campaign in 1965 and survived an assassination attempt. (John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Rev. Bernard LaFayette (center, in wheelchair and cloth cap) holds his wife Kate’s hand as they are wheeled over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 9, 2025 as part of 60th anniversary commemorations of Bloody Sunday, the 1965 attack on peaceful civil rights protestors that led to the Selma-to-Montgomery March and the Voting Rights Act. LaFayette ran the Selma voting rights campaign in 1965 and survived an assassination attempt. (John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)
Scroll to Top