Selma to Montgomery Marches

Definition

These were three protest marches held in 1965 that marked the political and emotional peak of the American civil rights movement. They were organized around gaining voting rights for African Americans.

Analogy

Imagine you're part of an online gaming community where certain players are unfairly blocked from participating. To protest this injustice, you organize a virtual march across different game servers, drawing attention from all players and eventually leading to equal access for all gamers. That's what these marches did - they drew national attention which led to policy change.

Related terms

Civil Rights Movement: A struggle by African Americans in mid-20th century America to achieve equal civil rights with those of whites, including equal opportunity employment, housing, education, and the right to vote.

Martin Luther King Jr.: An American clergyman and civil rights leader who was instrumental in organizing the Selma to Montgomery marches.

Bloody Sunday: The first of these marches on March 7, 1965, which ended in violence when marchers were attacked by police. This event led to widespread outrage and spurred further activism for voting rights.