Cycling the Underground Railroad

  DAY 8: REST DAY IN SELMA, ALABAMA For a number of reasons, it was decided that a true "rest day" was warranted, so I opted to stay in the quasi-civilization of Selma for the day. So what did I do?  I rested!  Including a 3 hour nap this afternoon.  (I rarely take naps, so I must have needed it!) Room at the "Luxury Inn and Suites" motel in Selma.  Low price, great room! My theory is that if a motel has to put the word "Luxury" in its name, it usually isn't (luxurious, that is). The "Luxury Inn and Suites" in Selma may be an exception to this rule.  Extremely clean and well furnished (including a recliner). I would definitely give it an "A" for the price. A nice place to "rest"! 😀

  DAY 7: MONTGOMERY TO SELMA This is a day I had been eagerly awaiting waiting; the opportunity to retrace the route of the history-defining March For Voting Rights of 1965. There's a lot of history behind this, but I'll attempt to be concise.   Since the Civil War, Alabama, along with most other Southern states, made it almost impossible for Blacks to "qualify" to register to vote.  Even though the Civil Rights Act of 1964 asserted the right of everyone to vote, it seemed impossible to prohibit states from erecting unreasonable barriers.  But people were persistent, among them Amelia Boynton Robinson. Monument honoring Amelia Boynton Robinson and Marie Foster for their leadership in the Selma March. Some citizens of Selma peacefully protested this unjust situation, only to be brutalized by police.  On February 26, 1965 in nearby Marion, a young unarmed military veteran, Jimmy Lee Jackson, was fatally shot by a former Alabama State Trooper as s result of pr...