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The original marches from Selma to Montgomery were key moments in the struggle for African-American civil rights

A coalition of activists, led by the AFL-CIO, will recreate the historic marches from Selma to Montgomery (both in Alabama) to call for justice for working families. The original marches were a key part of the civil rights movement for African-Americans, while the new march will expand upon that to include working class issues:

This Sunday, AFL-CIO union members, civil rights, community and faith activists will begin a five-day re-enactment of the historic 1965 Selma to Montgomery, Ala., civil rights march. The march will focus attention on new attacks on voting rights, immigrants, workers’ rights and education.

If you can’t be there in person, you can be there online. Click here to sign a pledge of solidarity with the marchers and tell us why you are joining the virtual march. Your comments will be shared with the marchers on the ground so they know there are tens of thousands standing with them.

As AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker says, “The onslaught of coordinated attacks on workers’ rights, voting rights, public education and immigration reform is an affront to our democracy.”

"We may be marching from Selma to Montgomery, but this is about the Wisconsins, Ohios, Indianas, Arizonas, the Michigans and any other state where they’re blatantly attacking our rights."

Supporters can join a virtual march if they can't attend in person.

The schedule for the march is as follows:

Sunday, March 4, 2012: Commemoration of Bloody Sunday/Voting Rights -- Marchers will gather in front of Brown Chapel AME Church, 410 Dr. Martin Luther King Street at 1:30 p.m. for the pre-march rally. The march starts at 2:30.

Monday March 5, 2012: Education/Voting Rights -- March starts at 9:00 a.m. at US Highway 80 east; just pass the intersection of US 80 and US 41 south, mile marker 88.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012: Black Farmers/Healthcare – Child care/Voting Rights: March starts at 9:00 a.m. from end point, mile marker 99.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012: Workers’ Rights/Voting Rights: March starts at 9:00 a.m. from end point, mile marker 110.

Thursday, March 8, 2012: Immigrant Rights/Voting Rights: March starts at 9:00 a.m. from end point, mile marker 121.

Friday, March 9, 2012: Culmination of all issues/activities: March starts at 9:00 a.m. from St. Jude’s Educational Institute 2080 W Fairview Ave.

Participants in the march include: AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker, Tom Buffenbarger; President International Association of Machinists, Larry Cohen; President Communications Workers of America (CWA), J. David Cox; Sec. Treas. American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Maria Elena Durazo; Exec. Sec. Treas. LA County AFL-CIO, Annie Hill; Sec. Treas. CWA, Bob King; President United Auto Workers, Bill Lucy; President Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Lee Saunders, Sec. Treas. AFSCME, Randi Weingarten; President American Federation of Teachers.