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| IAM members took part in a recreation of the historic 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, AL. |
The 47th anniversary of the momentous 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, AL began Sunday with IAM members from around the country joining thousands of other union members and human rights, faith and community activists to walk across the infamous Edmund Pettus Bridge, the first leg of the five-day reenactment of the historic 52-mile march.
The original march was a key part of the American civil rights movement, targeting the deplorable “Jim Crow” laws, which touted “equal-but-separate” conditions for African-Americans. The ‘separate’ part of the law was enforced; the ‘equal’ part was anything but. This year’s marchers are focusing attention on new attacks on voting rights, immigrants, workers’ rights and education.
“We’re able to freely march for justice today because our brothers and sisters marched bravely for civil rights nearly 50 years ago,” said Diane Babineaux, Chief of Staff to the International President. “While significant progress has been made in some areas, today’s attacks against American workers and their families are trying to force us backward. It’s good to see this huge and diverse group united to fight those attacks.”
The march ends Friday in Montgomery with a rally at the Alabama State Capitol.
