Selma in Dallas County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
A Grassroots Movement
— Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail —
Samuel Boynton and his wife Amelia were actively registering blacks in rural Alabama in the 1930s. They founded the Dallas County Voters League (DCVL), which Mrs. Boynton and seven colleagues continued to run after Mr. Boynton's death in 1963. The group had much work to do: in the early 1960s, 57 percent of Dallas County was African American and only 1 percent of those over 21 were registered to vote. Their efforts were supported by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which organized mass meetings and registration drives in Selma churches.
A voteless people is a hopeless people. Sign in Samuel Boynton's office
The beating of marchers by state troopers on Bloody Sunday focused national attention on the Selma voting rights campaign.
Selma children march for their parents right to vote.
Erected 2015 by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Civil Rights. A significant historical year for this entry is 1965.
Location. 32° 24.885′ N, 87° 1.076′ W. Marker is in Selma, Alabama, in Dallas County. Marker is at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and J L Chestnut Boulevard, on the right when traveling south on Martin Luther King Jr. Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 709 Martin Luther King Jr Street, Selma AL 36703, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Turning Point (here, next to this marker); First Baptist Church (a few steps from this marker); George Washington Carver Neighborhood (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lewis Scott (about 600 feet away); I Had A Dream (approx. 0.2 miles away); Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sanctuary to Stage (approx. 0.2 miles away); George Washington Carver Homes Projects (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Selma.
Also see . . . Overview of the Selma to Montgomery March - NPS. (Submitted on January 7, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 684 times since then and 99 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 7, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.