Reid Statement On 50th Anniversary Of Selma Marches

Statement

Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today on the 50th anniversary of the civil rights marches from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL, which began on March 7th, 1965, and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

"Fifty years ago today, 600 freedom-loving and courageous men and women set off from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery. These brave men and women marched for justice and equality. They were met with brutal beatings by state troopers, vicious attacks by police dogs, and violence and intimidation by angry mobs.

"Among those peaceful protesters was my friend, Congressman John Lewis. I was so honored to march arm-in-arm with him across the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 2011. As we marched, Congressman Lewis told me about the brave men and women who marched with him. He told me about the terrible violence of Bloody Sunday -- a day from which he still bears physical scars -- and the response of a nation shocked by the images they saw.

"The conscience of America could not let the violence and injustice continue. Later that month, more than 25,000 courageous marchers -- black and white, Catholic nuns, Jewish rabbis and Unitarian ministers -- completed the 12-mile trek from Selma to Montgomery that began on Bloody Sunday. And six months later, President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

"But as we remember the hard-fought victory of Selma, we must continue to guard against efforts to undermine the Voting Rights Act. In June 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act. This decision threatens voter participation among African Americans. Congress must act to ensure that decades of democratic progress are not undone by a bad Supreme Court ruling. I will never forget walking the path of the heroes of Selma, and I will continue to fight to make sure that their legacy will continue to be protected."

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