Robert A. Pratt

Although the title of the book is Selma's Bloody Sunday, it is actually the review of events in the Civil Rights movement leading up to Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965; an account of Bloody Sunday midway through the book; and the struggle to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. I found the review of the earlier history and particularly the Bloody Sunday march very interesting. Bloody Sunday occurred when a mass of Alabama state troopers and policemen on horses badly beat a group of approximately 600 peaceful marchers as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge leaving Selma on a march to Montgomery. In addition to the beatings and riding horses through the crowd, tear gas was used making it difficult for the marchers to see and retreat.

Bloody Sunday was followed later that month by a 5 day march from Selma to Montgomery for which the marchers had protection from the federal government. Mr. Pratt also describes this march, which was peaceful although the marchers from around the country had to leave Montgomery the day they arrived there.

Bloody Sunday was an impetus for passing civil rights legislation. The story of the effort to pass this legislation has been discussed in other books, and was a let-down after the marches. In the epilogue, Mr. Pratt discusses the effect of the legislation on the South, and how this legislation has been watered down in recent years.

Mr. Pratt, a black author, explains how the deaths of two white people, Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, seemed to be more important to white administers such as President Johnson than the treatment and deaths of blacks.

The book includes a number of very effective black and white photographs which help to tell the story before and through the marches. Also includes bibliographical references and index.… (altro)