Latest news with #SelmatoMontgomeryMarch
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Baton Rouge church commemorates anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday'
BATON ROUGE, La. (LOUISIANA FIRST NEWS)—On Sunday, a service commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March was held at Wesley United Methodist Church on Government Street, bringing together many people. 'Bloody Sunday' 60th anniversary marked in Selma with remembrances and concerns about the future The service focused on the historic 1965 march in Alabama, during which people protested voter discrimination. Local leaders, including Emad Nofal, Chairman of the Islamic Center of Baton Rouge, emphasized that the service not only honors the past but also points to a better future. 'Love must be strong enough to confront injustice today. As we remember, Selma is not only part of the past, but after we build a future where we march hand in hand,' said Nofal. Following the service, attendees marched to the Louisiana State Capitol, using the anniversary to draw attention to voting concerns in the state. 'In which these amendments were conceived were essentially in secret and what we're saying now is that as the Selma to Montgomery march, as the that particular movement indicated, that the power is in the hands of the people. We need to remind our legislative leaders that the people are the ones that should be involved in creating especially things that we need to add to the constitution of the state,' said Reverend Dr. JC Richardson. Richardson hopes that events like the service and march will unite the community and lead to positive change in the state. 'We're better together and that's the whole goal to kind of make sure that there are elements in this march that repeat the unity in the diverse city that we believe was evident at the Selma to Montgomery march,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Historic Selma church at heart of Civil Rights Movement gets $1M in renovation funds
Brown Chapel A.M.E Church in Selma will be seeing long-awaited renovations this year, with a tentative reopening date set for March 2026. The building was constructed and designed in 1908 by A. J. Farley, a formerly enslaved builder and designer. During the civil rights movement, the church served as a meeting place for the foot soldiers on Bloody Sunday before the Selma to Montgomery March, as well as a refuge from the violence that ensued. Despite its historical significance and the fact that its congregation still gathers, the church has been closed for the past three and a half years. Brent Leggs, the executive director of African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund said that the organization is investing $1 million into the repair and restoration of Brown Chapel A.M.E Church. He said this investment will take the church from "vacancy to restoration," and make it into a "permanent testimony" to the role it played in the civil rights movement. "Historic places have the power to connect us to our past," Leggs said. "They can impact our lives in the present and even shape our future. …During that period [the early 1960's], civil rights activists organized, protested, and elevated racial injustice from a Southern issue to a pressing national issue. … Alabama's Black churches stood at the center of all of that." The planned restorative efforts include structural repairs; putting a new roof, kitchen and ADA compliant restrooms in the Fellowship Hall; restoring historic finishes in the sanctuary as well as bolstering the seating and flooring; and refreshing the doors and windows. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, a Selma, Alabama native, said that Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church is significant to her, as it was her home church growing up, where she memorized her first speech as a Girl Scout. She also said that the larger history of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church alone cements it as a cornerstone of American history. "Today the eyes of the world are upon Selma," Sewell said. "Today is an opportunity not only to remember the history, but to preserve it for future generations, and any commemoration of Bloody Sunday would not be complete without Brown Chapel AME Church. ... The history of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church is sacred, and I believe it is our duty — all of our duty — as custodians of history, to ensure that it is preserved for future generations." In addition to The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund's contribution of $1 million, Leggs said the National Park Service has agreed to match the funds they raise — but only if they make it to $1.5 million. Leggs said that the plans they have made for the renovation are currently under review by the NPS. "The only thing we're waiting on is a generous American to fill our $500,000 gap," Leggs said. Brown Chapel A.M.E Church pastor Leodis Strong said there's a good chance that the congregation will be back in the historic church next March. "If I didn't have a bad hip and two bad knees, I'd do a holy dance right now," Strong told the congregation with a smile. Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at sclifton@ or follow her on X @sarahgclifton. More: Are you in the know about Montgomery news? Take the weekly quiz This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Brown Chapel A.M.E Church in Selma to be restored by next year
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Historic Selma church at heart of Civil Rights Movement gets $1M in renovation funds
Brown Chapel A.M.E Church in Selma will be seeing long-awaited renovations this year, with a tentative reopening date set for March 2026. The building was constructed and designed in 1908 by A. J. Farley, a formerly enslaved builder and designer. During the civil rights movement, the church served as a meeting place for the foot soldiers on Bloody Sunday before the Selma to Montgomery March, as well as a refuge from the violence that ensued. Despite its historical significance and the fact that its congregation still gathers, the church has been closed for the past three and a half years. Brent Leggs, the executive director of African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund said that the organization is investing $1 million into the repair and restoration of Brown Chapel A.M.E Church. He said this investment will take the church from "vacancy to restoration," and make it into a "permanent testimony" to the role it played in the civil rights movement. "Historic places have the power to connect us to our past," Leggs said. "They can impact our lives in the present and even shape our future. …During that period [the early 1960's], civil rights activists organized, protested, and elevated racial injustice from a Southern issue to a pressing national issue. … Alabama's Black churches stood at the center of all of that." The planned restorative efforts include structural repairs; putting a new roof, kitchen and ADA compliant restrooms in the Fellowship Hall; restoring historic finishes in the sanctuary as well as bolstering the seating and flooring; and refreshing the doors and windows. U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, a Selma, Alabama native, said that Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church is significant to her, as it was her home church growing up, where she memorized her first speech as a Girl Scout. She also said that the larger history of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church alone cements it as a cornerstone of American history. "Today the eyes of the world are upon Selma," Sewell said. "Today is an opportunity not only to remember the history, but to preserve it for future generations, and any commemoration of Bloody Sunday would not be complete without Brown Chapel AME Church. ... The history of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church is sacred, and I believe it is our duty — all of our duty — as custodians of history, to ensure that it is preserved for future generations." In addition to The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund's contribution of $1 million, Leggs said the National Park Service has agreed to match the funds they raise — but only if they make it to $1.5 million. Leggs said that the plans they have made for the renovation are currently under review by the NPS. "The only thing we're waiting on is a generous American to fill our $500,000 gap," Leggs said. Brown Chapel A.M.E Church pastor Leodis Strong said there's a good chance that the congregation will be back in the historic church next March. "If I didn't have a bad hip and two bad knees, I'd do a holy dance right now," Strong told the congregation with a smile. Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at sclifton@ or follow her on X @sarahgclifton. More: Are you in the know about Montgomery news? Take the weekly quiz This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Brown Chapel A.M.E Church in Selma to be restored by next year
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Baton Rouge church commemorates anniversary of Selma to Montgomery March
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A Baton Rouge church will observe the 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March this Sunday. Wesley United Methodist Church, 544 Government St., plans to have a service starting 10 a.m. March 9. The historic march happened in Alabama in 1965 with people protesting voter discrimination. It was a key event during the civil rights movement that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. After Sunday's service, Pastor J.C. Richardson said a march to the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol will take place for a discussion of four proposed constitutional amendments on the March 29 ballot. Voters are set to decide on constitutional amendments about specialty courts, tax code changes and juvenile prosecution in Louisiana. Downtown Baton Rouge building part of Louisiana civil rights movement history Mötley Crüe postpones Las Vegas residency due to vocalist Vince Neil's health Trump admin plans to cut 80,000 employees from Veterans Affairs: internal memo Kentucky Distillers' Association responds to new tariffs: 'Hard-working Americans … will suffer' Democratic response: Sen. Slotkin goes after President Trump on economy 31 million Americans borrowed money for health care last year: Poll Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Celebrate John Lewis with Progressive Action for the Common Good
Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) and the Liberty and Justice Movement are holding a rally to honor the late U.S. House of Representatives member and civil rights activist John Lewis. The rally will be on Saturday, February 22 at 12 p.m. at the corner of 16th Street and John Deere Road in Moline. Members of Liberty and Justice will be joining PACG's weekly Racial Equality Rally that has been held since George Floyd died in 2020. John Lewis championed voting rights and civil rights his entire life. He grew up with his parents, brothers and sisters in the house his father built in Troy, Alabama. Lewis developed his soothing speaking manner by calming the family's chickens, learning to express himself calmly and nonviolently. Lewis was only a year older than Emmett Till, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered in Mississippi. Till's death influenced Lewis' actions for the rest of his life. He became one of the original 13 Freedom Riders in 1961, planning to ride interstate buses from Washington DC to New Orleans. He helped organize the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Lewis and others were beaten and arrested after crossing the Selma, Alabama bridge during the Selma to Montgomery March on March 7, 1965. He worked throughout his life, advocating for civil rights, equality and voting rights and served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Visit PACG's website or contact Randy Flowers at my4kidsdad@ for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
