Elizabeth Partridge, Book Author

Where Are They Now?

A highlight of writing Marching for Freedom was interviewing the people involved in the march as kids and young adults. Here’s a snapshot of who they are today.

Lynda Blackmon Lowery was the youngest person to make the march all the way to Montgomery, after being jailed repeatedly, locked in a sweat box till she passed out, and badly beaten up on Bloody Sunday.

She lived in New York City for many years and now has returned to Selma where she works and is very active in her church.

Joanne Blackmon Bland is Lynda's younger sister. Joanne co-founded and was the first director of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma. Lynda and Joanne had a grandmother who was fearless and brave. Joanne calls Lynda her “she-ro,” but I think there is an awesome amount of courage in both of them. Joanne runs guided tours in Selma. She's terrific, with a sharp edge that makes her very concise as she speaks about what happened. Check out her tours at www.journeysforthesoul.com

Charles Mauldin was one of the student leaders from Hudson High. He’s a very kind and unassuming man. Because of his involvement in the march, his parents were afraid for him. The summer following the march he went to live with a white family in New Jersey for his last two years of high school. That led to college and scholarships. He lives and works in Alabama.

Bobby Simmons. When photos of Bobby with VOTE written on his forehead reached Selma, Bobby’s white boss fired him from his after school job. Bobby is a wonderful, soft-spoken man who raised a family in the Selma area, and is now retired from his job at a lumber company

Frank Sikora’s interviews of Sheyann Webb and Rachel West Nelson resulted in the book, Selma Lord Selma: Girlhood Memories of the Civil Rights Days. It’s still in print, and a wonderful read. Sheyann is an inspirational speaker.

Charles Bonner was fascinated as he watched civil rights lawyers get people out of jail and work for equal rights for blacks. He became an attorney, and runs a law firm in Sausalito, California.

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Where Are They Now?

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