Selma mourns death of a Voting Rights foot soldier

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

The Selma voting rights foot soldier who walked across the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge with two U.S. Presidents — has passed away.

George Sallie died last week at age 94. He was considered the oldest living foot soldier of the Selma Voting Rights Movement at the time of his death.

“Mr. Sallie will be long remembered for his contribution to the Voting Rights Movement,” said Mayor James Perkins, Jr.

“Mr. Sallie was not only a foot soldier during the movement of 1960s,” said Sam Walker. “But he continued to be a warrior and a fighter up until his death last week.”

Sallie became a fixture at the foot of the Historic Edmund Pettus Bridge sharing his knowledge of the Selma voting rights movement — with tourists who came by.

“And what he was talking about when he talked with people was what he knew, not what he heard, but what he knew,” said Major Madison, Jr.

The 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham that killed four little girls motivated Sallie to become active in the civil rights movement. He was among the group of peaceful marchers — state troopers attacked near the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma on Bloody Sunday.

Decades later he would accompany two U.S. Presidents as they joined the annual reenactment of the event.

“Obama. He walked with Biden as well, when we walked across the bridge this last year,” said Perkins.

“So, I’m excited about this, to celebrate his life and his legacy.”

Funeral arrangements for Mr. Sallie — include a horse drawn memorial march across the historic bridge.

The funeral service will be held Saturday morning at 11 — at Free Will Christian Church in Selma.

A public viewing will be held Friday — at Aubrey Larkin’s Lewis Brothers Funeral Home.