Share

40 day US march for equal racial rights commences

Civil rights campaigners in the US have begun a 40-day march to highlight racial inequality.

The activists set out on Sunday from Selma, Alabama - the scene of a violent crackdown on voting rights demonstrators 50 years ago.

More than 200 supporters took part in the first leg of the march that will continue for more than 1 300km through the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.

The total distance covered will be about 16 times the 87km walked by voting rights activists in 1965 and will end with a rally in Washington DC on September 16.

Organisers of the "Journey for Justice" are hoping to mobilise thousands of people along the way.

Marchers sang as they crossed the Edmund Pettus bridge, where protesters marching for voting rights were met with clubs and tear gas 50 years ago.

That day became known as "Bloody Sunday," but it led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, giving African Americans the power to cast their ballots for the first time in US history.

Recent killings of blacks by white police officers as well as a deadly attack on a black church have intensified a national debate about race in the US.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 338 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 190 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
19.08
+0.7%
Rand - Pound
23.80
+0.6%
Rand - Euro
20.39
+0.8%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.38
+0.9%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.8%
Platinum
909.50
-0.3%
Palladium
984.00
-2.1%
Gold
2,316.50
+0.0%
Silver
27.14
-0.1%
Brent Crude
88.02
-0.5%
Top 40
68,092
-0.7%
All Share
74,039
-0.6%
Resource 10
61,188
+1.2%
Industrial 25
102,423
-1.5%
Financial 15
15,787
-0.3%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE