This week I went to see the movie Selma. It is an historical drama telling of the epic march led by Martin Luther king Jr. from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. The year is 1965. The southern United States had been legally desegregated but there was still widespread discrimination and it was still nearly impossible for blacks to register to vote as the white legislators put up so many roadblocks. It became clear that public protest and social pressure was the only way to overturn this situation. Selma, Alabama became the battleground for this fight for rights.
The movie tells of the events of the three-month period leading up to the march which, after a few cancelled tries took place on March 25, 1965. It was a 5-day, 54-mile march from Selma to the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. This epic march turned the tide of public opinion and forced the hand of President Lyndon Johnson into signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
One aspect to the story that surprised me was the role played by white clergy and religious leaders. When the march kept meeting resistance from the police and local legislators Martin Luther King put out a call to his religious brothers and sisters across North America. They responded and many white ministers, priests, nuns and lay people came to walk side by side with their black brothers and sisters (about a third of the marchers were white) and their presence had major influence on the allowance for the march to go forward. It was not without violence and many, blacks and whites, were injured in the violence, some were killed.
The movie makes clear the range of emotions that come with such a public presence and the fear that can come from standing up to oppression and evil. I was left wondering if I would ever have the courage to take part in such a stand.
The phrase, “Do not be afraid” is written in the Bible 365 times. As someone wrote, “that is a daily reminder from God to live every day being fearless.” Standing up to might, to evil, to power that oppresses is critical in the evolution of humanity but it can engender fear. I am grateful for the reminder to not be afraid.
