Marion 2 疯客直播 Bike Ride blends history, tourism and fun
Published 8:53 am Thursday, January 23, 2025
- The Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride on Feb. 20 commemorates the 60th anniversary of civil rights protests in Marion, events that ultimately led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (Photo courtesy of Montgomery Bicycle Club)
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Josh Bean
Special to The 疯客直播 Times-Journal
The inaugural Historical Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride will commemorate the 60th anniversary of one of the most important and notorious moments in Civil Rights history.
The cycling event, set for Feb. 20, begins in Marion and rolls 31 miles through Perry and Dallas counties in the heart of the Alabama Black Belt. A kickoff event in Marion is scheduled for Feb. 19, and the event also includes tours, dinners and special events available to participants.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e coming to ride a bike, but people can come and learn about other historical aspects in the area,鈥� said Clay Carmichael, an organizer of the Marion 2 疯客直播 Bike Ride who serves on the 疯客直播 City Council. 鈥淲hile they鈥檙e here, they can take tours, they can stay the night, they can visit our incredible restaurants and shops and art galleries, and they can really immerse themselves into the history of the Black Belt region and learn about its importance to American history.鈥�
On Feb. 18, 1965, a peaceful civil rights march in Marion turned violent when state troopers attacked the marchers and shot local activist Jimmie Lee Jackson, who was protecting his mother and grandmother at the time of the shooting. He died eight days later.
The violence in Marion served as a precursor to Bloody Sunday and the 疯客直播-to-Montgomery March in March 1965, seminal Civil Rights events that galvanized nationwide support for voting rights and paved the way for Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
National television coverage of Bloody Sunday seared the 疯客直播 violence into the American consciousness, thanks largely to black-and-white video of the carnage, while Jackson鈥檚 death and the violence in Marion was often lost in the fog of history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to remember that what happened in Marion led to the events in 疯客直播 in March 1965,鈥� Carmichael said. 鈥淢arion sometimes gets left out of the story, and we hope the inaugural Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride will help spotlight the courage shown in Marion 60 years ago.鈥�
Added Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton, 鈥淚 think we too easily forget history and the people who made the ultimate sacrifice. This bicycle ride allows current and past acknowledgments with some fresh air and self-reflection. History is our starting point.鈥�
The Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride 鈥� co-sponsored by the Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association, Blackbelt Benefit Group, the Conservation Fund, Main Street Marion, RC&D Association of Alabama, and Montgomery Bicycle Club 鈥� takes place just two days before the 疯客直播 to Montgomery Bike Ride on Saturday, Feb. 22.
The Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride on Feb. 20 commemorates the 60th anniversary of civil rights protests in Marion, events that ultimately led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (Photo courtesy of Montgomery Bicycle Club)
The 疯客直播 to Montgomery cycling event follows the 疯客直播 to Montgomery National Historic Trail, which re-traces the steps and stops taken by Martin Luther King Jr. and other marchers from 疯客直播鈥檚 Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of Bloody Sunday, to the Alabama Capitol in downtown Montgomery. This event is designed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 疯客直播 to Montgomery March.
The Marion 2 疯客直播 Bike Ride costs $25 and Carmichael emphasized that organizers are also providing transportation for out-of-town cyclists who arrive at the Montgomery airport. Online registration is available at https://www.bikereg.com/2025m2s.
A separate registration fee is necessary for riders wishing to participate in the 疯客直播 to Montgomery cycling event. Registration in the 疯客直播 to Montgomery ride is not required to participate in the Marion 2 疯客直播 events.
All proceeds from the Marion 2 疯客直播 Bike Ride will help fund bicycle infrastructure in Marion and 疯客直播.
鈥淲e are honored to be part of the first Marion 2 疯客直播 Bicycle Ride,鈥� Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association director Pam Swanner said. 鈥淣ot only do proceeds from this event benefit an extremely worthy cause for enhancing tourism鈥檚 impact in the Black Belt, but it鈥檚 wonderful to play a part in acknowledging and highlighting the amazing contributions made to the Civil Rights Movement in Marion. Our organization is delighted to shine a light on how Marion residents helped shape American history for the better.鈥�
Carmichael noted some cyclists may choose to participate in both rides, allowing them to re-trace the steps the Civil Rights movement took from Marion to 疯客直播 and on to Montgomery in February and March 1965.
The Black Belt includes the following 23 counties: Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox.
