Bending the Arc; The Vote - Rev. Gail Stratton - Sunday, March 7, 2021

In one fateful week in 1965 in Selma, Alabama, the history of the United States was changed. The events in Selma, AL were pivotal for voting rights. Many of the images from that time are etched in our memories from seeing it on TV (for those of us who are older) or in later recounting of the event. Leaders such as John Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr. were instrumental in navigating that fraught time. ​

There were also many others who were also key in all that happened at Selma and our service this week will focus on the commitment of these others. Following the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson, for weeks before bloody Sunday, children were involved in marches for voters rights. The children were often jailed, sometimes for days at a time. These foot soldiers were also present and beaten on Bloody Sunday. After Bloody Sunday, Martin Luther King put out a call via telegrams urging all ministers to come bear witness in Selma; over 400 UU Ministers answered that call. In addition to the tragic death of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a Unitarian Universalist Minister, Rev. James Reeb was murdered in Selma. A few weeks later, another Unitarian Universalist, Viola Liuzzo, a woman who came from Michigan, was shot in her car as she transported marchers. Our service will share clips of the film “Bending the Arc; The Vote" in order to lift up the stories of these heroes and martyrs. Their commitment to democracy is inspiring and motivating. 

The film Bending the Arc; The Vote was created by Pam Powell and is available: https://bendingthearctojustice.com. While not a requirement, we want to invite everyone to watch the film before the service. 

Rev. Gail Stratton will lead this service. Content Warning for parents: we will use clips of the film that discuss the violent deaths of Jimmie Lee Jackson, Rev. James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo. In addition, the film spotlights foot soldiers who were jailed as children.

We are a welcoming congregation and invite you to join us online this Sunday.  However, due to security concerns we are unable to publish the link to the service.  Contact Sandra Moss at [email protected] to have the link sent to you.