Thousands gathered in Selma, AL for the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”, and while the focus is on how far the nation has come, residents in Selma say there is still progress to be made.
“50 years later, I’ve seen some change, but there is still…there’s still a long way to go…” Phyllis Alston remembers marching on Bloody Sunday at just ten years old. “I was tear gassed, I was with my brother Sammy…”
Selma in 2015 is in many ways a different town, but still has issues to overcome. According to CNN, nearly 60 percent of the town live below the poverty level. Last year Dallas County was the poorest in alabama. Nearly 10 percent of people in Selma are unemployed, one of the highest rates in Alabama. Residents believe this is the biggest issue the city faces now.
With state and federal leaders in Selma to remember one of the most violent days in civil rights history, people in Selma say they hope officials will also look at fixing current troubles.
