Selma Jubilee Festivities Continue

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Most of this year’s Selma Jubilee Festivities surround the Voting Rights Act.

It’s something that one of the original foot soldiers Annie Pearl Avery and Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson are passionate about.

People part of the “Poor People’s Campaign” started Friday evening off  singing sounds of hope for people living in poverty.

“If more people would come together and vote, we could change these policies and elect people who care about people who are low income,” says Carolyn Foster.

Friday’s panel discussion featured Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson, who wants to challenge others to “Remember Selma” long after the Selma Jubilee.

“The people down the street have outdoor toilets. Poverty is here. This could be a place where people come and say I thank you Selma and here’s why we give back to Selma. There must be some type of re-investment in Selma,” says Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson.

Annie Pearl Avery, is one of the original foot soldiers of the voting rights movement.  She still walks the streets of Selma at the foot of the Edmond Pettus Bridge.

“During the time of the Bloody Sunday march, I was project director in hale county for voting registration but I was also the only one that got arrested here in Selma on that day,” says Avery.

Even in 2019, she says there is much more to be done.

“Even today. Because it’s not over. We’ve got to go back to work,” says Jackson.

“I guess I must say that we’ve had these over 50 times by using Selma as a prop. To resolve your concerns as oppose to being a place where we show what democracy can do.” Selma should be the first beneficiary of our new congress.”

For a full schedule of events for the 2019 Selma Jubilee click here.