selma to montgomery highway

We traveled this historic route - the route taken or attempted by civil rights protesters who marched along this highway three times - from Selma to Montgomery where they wanted to take the body of Jimmy Jackson who was beaten to death by white supremacists while trying to protect his grandfather, to protest the lack of justice and punishment to the perpetrators.We had traveled on this road to participate in the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, whence the protesters leaving Selma were stopped dead at the foot of the Edmund Pettus bridge on this highway and beaten back with billy clubs, tear gas and horse stompings.On the same Saturday, the President and his cabinet secretaries also traveled on this road to participate in the memorial events held in Selma. It was the same day that the Alabama authorities cordoned off parts of the highway to ostensibly perform road maintenance resulting in all of us missing the President's speech (and spending two and a half hours for what usually is a 45 minute journey) and the gatherings that were demonstrating the support for civil rights and the right to dissent.It is rather poetic that the same types of administrations in this very state had squelched citizen's protests and put in every obstacle they could in the way of people exercising their legal rights. I hoped that the state would have taken extra precautions to open this highway wide for the huge traffic that came in on the 50th anniversary of that historic march and not schedule maintenance related closings - especially with motorcades and limousines and dignitaries and vehicles with flashing lights and important looking troopers going back and forth as we stood still in traffic.The road itself is fairly ordinary and the landscape monotonous. The Interpretive center along the way along with the memorials to slain people from the movement blacks and the whites who helped them are very effective tributes to the struggle that has established the rights of all and ended segregation.The insensitivity of the Alabama highway department continues to showcase the second hand treatment of civil rights events and the lack of attention to respect this highway as a national symbol for the Civil Rights movement by scheduling road repairs in the midst of a well planned 50th anniversary ceremony.

crossing over the bridge is not a nice sight, very bad neighborhoods and really run down. wouldn t advise going at night

As you drive highway 80 from Selma to Montgomery you can just imagine what those marchers were doing 50 years ago.. There are markers along the highway to point out where they stopped each night, where Viola Liuzzo was murdered by klansmen for driving marchers back to Selma, where they turned to go through Black neighborhoods in Montgomery and the culmination on the steps of the the Alabama State Capitol. Just amazing!

You can easily spend a weekend learning the history of the Selma March and other civil rights events. The March is just 53 miles and has several places historical places on the route, including a National Park Service stop which includes a 25 minute film. In downtown Montgomery, lots of places of interest as well as leisure - River front and fine dining.

I almost passed up the NPS interpretative center since it was surrounded by construction and looked closed....but I am glad I didn't~it was very well laid out and the 25-min movie is worth a look too! I've been to TOO many NPS visitor centers where the movie is soooo old that it puts you to sleep LOL, but this movie was relevant and compassionate...and engaging on so many levels. The rest of the exhibit hall is small (but not as small as the NPS center in Selma), but has some amazing photo ops. Definitely worth a 30-minute stop + picnic stop (bring your own food...there's nothing out this way!)

A very easy drive from Montgomery to Selma and in many ways a step back in time. Very rural route and if you take a few side roads you will see a lot of poverty and eroding infrastructure.... I suspect not unlike what MLK and the marchers from Selma saw 50 years ago. Stop by the interpretative center for additional understanding of the historical significance of this major event in American and civil rights history.

Drove the Selma to Montgomery route. Very easy drive--four-lane road all the way. Make sure and stop about midway at the interpretative center. Free and well worth it. They had some information that was different from the one in Selma. When the road ends, you are on the south side of Montgomery and will run into I-65.

This road and the many historical markers tell a history that is sad that people had to resort to the march to be heard in this great country but joyous in the results attained through it.

As we diverted from the interstate along this historic highway, SiriusXM Radio's public radio feed broadcast several stories in the aftermath of the Ferguson (MO) grand jury decision. References to the Selma to Montgomery march seemed a poignant coincidence connecting the present and past. A podcast, audio book, or other media would make this journey even more powerful. Perhaps the NPS or other agency will create an audio tour for historical tourists.

A nice stretch of highway with a few historical stops along the way. Nothing to really areas far as thee highway itself, but it does carry a lot of history with it.

Just brought back so many memories as I traveled from Selma to Montgomery several times during my recent vacation.

The National Park Service runs a very engaging museum with video and traditional displays. We learned a lot about the march from Selma to Montgomery for voting rights and how this area ended up hosting a tent city for those blacks who finally were able to get the right to vote, but were then kicked of their share-cropping or tenent land. The park rangers were great and answered all my questions.

Let's get one things straight, this is not one of America's scenic highways.THAT IS NOT THE POINT.You're not there to oogle the views. The point is to commemorate the 5-day walk that dedicated, determined, and oppressed people took to insist they be treated as equal human beings. it's a drive to teach you about commitment, overcoming odds, tolerating blisters and achy bones for what is right. (en route you MUST stop at the interpretive center mid-way - it's BRILLIANT)You will pass signs noting where campsites once stood - now really just private property and unnecessary to stop.This drive is something done as a tribute and self reflection. Not for photo ops.

We drove the the highway, US 80, from Montgomery to Selma backwards to the direction of the marchers in 1965. In several spots their campground are marked. My daughter was amazed that people would undertake such a feat.

Seeing the actual bridge and route that the peaceful marchers walked was very somber. We thought how brave were these people who were willing to endure so much. Bloody Sunday was a shameful day for our nation. The interpretive centers were very informative and very friendly. Selma is a small town but it had several small restaurants to eat lunch.