Magnify Your Knowledge: Amelia Boynton Robinson

In 1930’s Alabama, Robinson and her husband taught rural African Americans the importance of education, political participation, and land ownership for improving their lives. In 1964, Robinson ran for Congress -- the first woman of any race to run in Alabama -- winning 10% of the vote where Black people made up only 5% of registered voters. In 1965, she invited Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Selma. With other Alabama leaders, they organized the march from Selma to Montgomery that later became known as "Bloody Sunday" and helped persuade the US Congress to adopt the Voting Rights Act. Like others that day, Robinson refused to retreat from the police, who beat her unconscious. Robinson's role in ‘Bloody Sunday’ is depicted in the Oscar-nominated film, Selma. To learn more about this fascinating figure in American history, visit the National Park Service website highlighting Robinson's life and accomplishments.