There’s more to the movie and the movement of Selma besides Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
While I’m sure the projects during your middle schools’ celebration of Black History month were helpful in their own right, there’s more you should know about the man behind the movement and the others that played a pivotal role.
I’ll admit, before entering college I thought I had a decent amount of knowledge regarding the Civil Rights Movement. As an African-American myself I was sure that I was well informed. Sadly, I was proven wrong.
Last semester I took AAAD 130 (Introduction to African American and Diaspora Studies) with Professor Timothy McMillian. In addition to looking forward to hearing him lecture each week, I learned an invaluable amount of information about the history, the diaspora, and the movements following the abolition of slavery.
So, without giving away too much information, here are some important people featured in the film that you may not have learned about (in-depth) during your middle schools’ Black History Month celebration:
Jimmie Lee Jackson
A civil rights activist, Jimmie Lee Jackson was murdered at the age of 26 by an Alabama State trooper. His death was a catalyst for the Selma to Montgomery march.
Denise McNair
From Birmingham, Denise was a Girl Scout, loved baseball and had a well-developed social consciousness. At the age of 12 she created plays, dance routines, and poetry performances to raise money for charity.
Annie Lee Cooper
Known for her reliance in her attempts to vote, her attack by James Clark (Alabama sheriff, and a public opponent of the Civil Rights Movement) also served as a catalyst for the Selma march, which resulted in Bloody Sunday.
Cynthia Wesley
A lively 14-year-old who was the pride and joy of her two adoptive parents. She attended Ullman High School where she participated in the band and excelled in math and reading.
John Lewis
Served as the chairman of SNCC (the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and he played a pivotal role in the Selma march, after walking on the front lines during Bloody Sunday.
If you are confused as to why Denise McNair and Cynthia Wesley are included on the list, here’s why…
On September 15, 1963, 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed by several members of the Ku Klux Klan. Four girls: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair were killed in the basement.
Each girl was under the age of 16. To some, Denise McNair and Cynthia Wesley are only known as two of the “Four Little Girls.”
You should know their names. Not just their story.
There were countless numbers of people involved in the movement. Many people have been and will remain nameless. However, it’s our responsibility to be knowledgeable and respect the sacrifices those before us have made. We can do so by not only knowing their stories, but their names.
Their participation is the reason why we can learn names like Malcolm, Rosa and Martin.
If you haven’t seen Selma yet, see if you can identify these characters before their names are mentioned!