Statement on the 47th Anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights March From Selma to Montgomery, Alabama

Today we mark the 47th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday," the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, where hundreds of courageous men and women risked their lives in the name of equality. Those brave marchers knew the danger that awaited them on the other side of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, but they pressed on, stepping into history as they challenged the Nation's conscience. Today we remember their courage in the face of danger and the spirit of perseverance that helped lead to iconic legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. We also recommit ourselves to their struggle and to the idea that we should always seek a more perfect Union.