John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation and Partners Install Plaques at the Edmund Pettus Bridge to tell “The Voting Rights Journey” Story
JLMLF, the City of Selma, the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church Legacy Foundation, and the National Park Service, produced the plaques with the support of Wells Fargo
SELMA, March 7, 2025 — In honor of the 60th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, in partnership with the City of Selma, the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church Legacy Foundation, the National Park Service, and with the support of Wells Fargo, installed two commemorative plaques yesterday at Songs of Selma Park at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., of which Congressman John Lewis was a member, has pledged to oversee long-term maintenance of the plaques.
In her remarks at the dedication ceremony, Detria Everson, President and CEO of The Foundation said, “Thank you to all of our partners in this effort. Your commitment ensures that this history is not only remembered but actively taught and carried forward. These plaques will stand here not merely as a marker of history but enduring tributes to the journey of voting rights.”
Everson added, “It is a journey forged by individuals who, against all odds, firmly believed that the right to vote should belong to everyone. The plaques honor the bravery of ordinary people facing extraordinary challenges who persevered through faith, unity and love.”
Other speakers at the event included David Williams, Regional Bank Executive for Wells Fargo; Danielle Wooten, Director of Planning and Development for the City of Selma; and Chris Rey, International President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
After the dedication of the plaques, The Tabernacle Baptist Church hosted a conversation with Foot Soldiers and the Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr., who shared their recollections of the Civil Rights Movement and Bloody Sunday in particular. In addition to Dr. Lafayette, we heard from Roosevelt Goldsby, Kirk Douglas Carrington, Sr. and Dr. Verdell Lett Dawson. The three of them were also an integral part of the process of designing and captioning the plaques.
The plaques tell the history of The Voting Rights Journey, starting with the founding of the NAACP in Alabama in 1918. It highlights the roles played by people like Samuel and Amelia Boynton, and Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr.
They include pictures of the Tabernacle Baptist Church, and tells the story of Jimmie Lee Jackson. His death was the spark for the Selma to Montgomery March. It includes the iconic pictures of John Lewis walking on the bridge with Hosea Williams, and of course, The Two-Minute Warning, when he faced off with Alabama state troopers.
The images and captions also show the progress we’ve made. It includes pictures of the first Black Mayor of Selma and the first Black judge in Dallas County. It includes pictures of Rep. Earl Hilliard and Rep. Terri Sewell, both of whom served with John Lewis. The story ends, for now, with pictures of President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris at the Bridge.
Thousands of people visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge every year because of its historical significance, drawn mostly by the Selma Jubilee celebrations every March.
“Today we have added another opportunity for future generations to learn and become inspired by citizens of Selma and those who joined their forces for good. Congressman Lewis frequently reminded us that democracy is not a given. Each generation must stand up and fight for it. As we unveil these plaques today, may they serve as a continual reminder of this truth,” added Everson.
These plaques will provide people with historical context. They don’t just focus on the past, but also our present. They show how far we’ve come. They give people a sense of The Voting Rights Journey.
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Click here for additional archival footage of the Selma to Montgomery March.
About the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation (JLMLF)
The John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, Inc. was conceived by Congressman Lewis to carry on his and his wife’s passion for purposeful living, civic engagement and building the “beloved community,” and to inspire and support Good Trouble.
For information and interviews:
Neil Parekh (JLMLF)
neil@digimentors.group / 206-370-0058
As a nation, if we care for the Beloved Community, we must move our feet, our hands, our hearts, our resources to build and not tear down, to reconcile and not to divide, to love and not to hate.