Drive the Route That Changed America

Tour Intro

Fifty-four miles. Five days. One march that helped transform American democracy.

Welcome to the 54 Mile March from Selma to Montgomery, one of the most important journeys in American history.

In March 1965, thousands of ordinary Americans walked from Selma to Montgomery demanding equal voting rights. Along the way they faced violence, intimidation, rain, exhaustion, and uncertainty. Yet they continued forward, ultimately helping inspire passage of the Voting Rights Act.

This self-guided driving tour follows the exact route of the historic march from the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. Along the way you'll visit the key locations where history unfolded, including the four march campsites, the Lowndes County communities that supported the movement, and the Capitol steps where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech.

Along the route you'll discover:

• The story behind Bloody Sunday

• Why the Selma campaign began

• The famous Edmund Pettus Bridge

• The four overnight march campsites

• Stories of ordinary families who risked everything

• The road through "Bloody Lowndes"

• The final march into Montgomery

• How the Voting Rights Act became law

This is more than a scenic drive.

It's a journey through one of the defining chapters of American history.