An Intersection of History: Court Square

An Intersection of History: Court Square. . At the intersection of Commerce Street and Dexter Avenue, Court Square is arguably the most historic location in America. As the center of 19th century Southern economic and political power, Montgomery's Court Square was host to a massive slave market and the location from which the telegram that ignited the Civil War at Fort Sumter was sent. , Less than a century later, Court Square and downtown Montgomery was the epicenter of the civil rights movement, first with the Montgomery Bus Boycott which began December 5, 1955. Ten years later the civil rights struggle and Montgomery's non-violent protests culminated in the Selma To Montgomery March passing through Court Square as the marchers' took the last steps up Dexter Avenue to the state capitol. , This duality of histories is the heart of Montgomery's past. A city with a past as complex, difficult, and important to the American story can often struggle under the weight. Today, Montgomery honors its past all aspects of its history while looking to the future.