Selma, Alabama holds significant historical importance in the African American Civil Rights Movement. One of the most notable events that took place in Selma was the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. These marches were a series of nonviolent protests organized to demonstrate the need for voting rights for African Americans in the South.

The first march, known as "Bloody Sunday," took place on March 7, 1965, when marchers were brutally attacked by state troopers as they attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The violent confrontation was broadcast on national television, sparking outrage and garnering support for the Civil Rights Movement.

The marches led by civil rights activists, including John Lewis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ultimately contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

Selma's place in Black history has been memorialized and commemorated through landmarks like the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, which preserves the history and legacy of the Selma to Montgomery marches for future generations.