RT Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail

Nationally significant commemorative route that preserves and interprets the path of the 1965 voting rights marches through exhibits, historic sites, and interpretive centers.

General Information

Length:

54 miles

Elevation Gain:

Minimal elevation change along the historic driving route

Difficulty:

Easy

Hours:

Trail route: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
Lowndes and Montgomery Interpretive Centers: Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 4:30pm
Closed Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day

Fees:

Free admission
No entrance fee required

Pet Policy:

Pets are allowed outdoors on a leash of 6 feet or less but are not permitted inside visitor center buildings

Closest cities with hotels:

Montgomery (approximately 25 mi)

Seasons:

All year; spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring outdoor historic sites

Location:

https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=7002+US+Highway+80+West+White+Hall+AL+360407002 U.S. Highway 80 West, White Hall, AL 36040

Website:

https://www.nps.gov/semo/nps.gov/semo

How to Get There

From Montgomery (25 mi): Take I-65 to Exit 167 and follow U.S. Highway 80 West for approximately 25 miles to the Lowndes Interpretive Center at 7002 U.S. Highway 80 West in White Hall.

Overview

The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail is a 54-mile (87 km) National Historic Trail in Alabama. It commemorates and marks the journey of the participants of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches in support of the Voting Rights Act.

The Selma to Montgomery March occurred on March 21 to 25, 1965, and was led by Dr Martin Luther King. This march was the culmination of several weeks of activity, during which demonstrators had tried to march on two occasions. They were stopped on both occasions, once violently, by the police. Approximately 25,000 people joined the March and it became a landmark event in the Civil Rights Movement, leading directly to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The march brought public attention to the injustices faced by African Americans in voting.

The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail is the shortest of the National Historic Trails at 54 miles. The National Historic Trail starts at the Mount Zion AME Zion Church in Marion. Route signs lead people from Marion to Selma, where there is an interpretative center for the trail. After visiting the center, the trail continues on to the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The trail then follows U.S. Route 80 to White Hall, where the Lownes Interpretative Center is based. The trail follows US Highway 80 until it reaches the state capital, Montgomery. Markers along the route point out the places where marchers camped, as well as other historic moments from the March, such as the murder of Viola Liuzzo or the place in St Jude's historic district where musicians Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, and Peter, Paul & Mary performed for the marchers. As well as being a National Historic Trail, the route is also designated a National Scenic Byway.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail" which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0