Thousands of people walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge Sunday in Selma, Alabama, to mark the 50th anniversary of the “Bloody Sunday” march.
The fateful march in 1965 marked a turning point in the civil rights struggle after activists were beaten by state troopers and police officers who attacked them with batons and dogs, and sprayed them with tear gas.
However, the mood was celebratory this weekend, with President Obama walking hand-in-hand with his family across the bridge. They were joined by former President George W. Bush and his wife, 100 members of Congress and civil rights icons in a commemorative march on Saturday.
In honor of Sunday’s anniversary, Black Entertainment Television and sister network Centric hosted a star-studded concert that was slated to include appearances by Hollywood stars Harry Belafonte, Cicely Tyson and Malcolm Jamal Warner.
Musicians including Tamar Braxton, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Kirk Franklin, Tyrese, India.Arie, Eric Benet, MC Lyte and Rick Ross were scheduled to perform.
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