Revisiting a Civil Rights-Era Shooting
The death of a young black man named Jimmy Lee Jackson at the hands of a state trooper sparked a pivotal march 40 years ago in Alabama. Civil rights activists tried to walk from Selma to the state capital in Montgomery, but law enforcement officers attacked them. Shocking footage of the attack helped boost support for the civil rights movement. Recently, our commentator tracked down the trooper who shot Jackson.
Related NPR Stories
Activists Mark 40th Anniversary of Selma March March 7, 2005
Remembering Alabama's 'Bloody Sunday' March 7, 2005