Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) and  Congressman Martha Roby (R-AL-2) introduced H.R. 431, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Foot Soldiers whose perilous journey from Selma to Montgomery led to the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“America was forced to face its own inhumanity after witnessing the brutal attacks on Bloody Sunday. Thousands heeded Dr. Martin Luther King’s call to come to Selma in the wake of Bloody Sunday and marched in peace to Montgomery as a show of solidary for equal voting rights. It was the courage of those brave men and women – black and white – that forced our country to become a more just and democratic nation.”

“We cannot appreciate how far we have come without acknowledging from where we came. This bill will bestow Congress’ highest civilian honor to the Foot Soldiers who marched in Bloody Sunday, Turnaround Tuesday, or the final Selma to Montgomery March in 1965, which served as a catalyst for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I want this medal to serve as a compelling reminder of the sacrifices made by these Foot Soldiers so that all Americans may enjoy fundamental rights granted to all of us by the Constitution,” said Rep. Sewell.

“I am proud to co-sponsor this bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the brave men and women whose march for justice changed not just Alabama, but America and the world. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday,’ it is such a fitting time to honor the legacy of the brave individuals who, against brutality and oppression, took a stand for their God-given rights. I appreciate the work of my dear friend and colleague Terri Sewell on this worthy legislation,” said Rep. Roby.

About the Congressional Gold Medal

Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions. The medal was first awarded in 1776 by the second Continental Congress to General George Washington.

About the March from Selma to Montgomery in 1965

Civil rights activists were brutally attacked by Alabama state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on March 7, 1965. This day, now known as Bloody Sunday, was the first of three planned, peaceful protests from Selma to Montgomery. Nearly 2,500 Foot Soldiers led by Dr. Martin Luther King attempted a second march two days later on March 9, 1965, now known as “Turnaround Tuesday.” An estimated 8,000 Foot Soldiers left Selma on March 21, 1965, and successfully marched to Montgomery to peacefully protest restrictive voting laws that prevented African-Americans from voting in the South.

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