Bridge Crossing Jubilee Brings Thousands To Selma, Vice President Biden Joins Celebration

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By Catalina Trivino

Story Created: Mar 3, 2013 at 10:11 PM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 3, 2013 at 10:11 PM CDT

It was in Selma, where the 54 mile trek towards Montgomery began 48 years ago -- and now, Vice- President, Joe Biden, joins thousands at the city's annual bridge crossing.

"It just feels good to be able to walk across and knowing that you won't be stopped," Said one bridge crosser, James Hrabowski. He was only 17 when he first marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge when he was stopped by state troopers and told to turn around.

"We stll didn't turn around, so John Lewis and Reverend Jose Williams began to bow down on their knees and pray and once they bowed down and started praying that's when they started shooting tear gas," Said Hrabowski, who told us it was his first time back on the bridge since the 1965 march.

Hrabowski joined thousands, including Vice President Joe Biden, in re-living history
On Sunday people walked to commemorate the Civil Rights march that prompted Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act 48 years ago.

"You made history… you made history on that "Bloody Sunday," Said Vice President Biden before the bridge crossing.

"You can't help that when you go cross that bridge because that day as a young man I was afraid," Said R.L. Anderson, who also participated in the 1965 march.

In 2013, the "Bloody Sunday" re-enactment serves a different purpose.
This year's bridge crossing happened while the Supreme Court questions whether part of the Voting Rights Act is constitutional.
Congresswoman, Terri Sewell, says now more than ever is the time to protect American's right to vote.

"Right now the Supreme Court is deciding a case that is actually coming from Alabama, Shelby County, that stands to really really take away some of the major protections in the Voter's Rights Act and I'm really afraid about that," Said Sewell.

It's something many people came to do during the jubilee: voice their opinion on protecting Section 5 in the Voting Rights Act. Sewell says at the end of the day, she believes we should be expanding and protecting the right to vote.

Organizers say as part of the commemoration, people will be walking starting Monday through Saturday of this week until they've reached the capitol. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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