Selma to Montgomery March Self Guided GPS Audio Driving Tour

About this activity

Retrace the historic 54-mile route that played a pivotal role in securing voting rights in America. This immersive driving experience utilizes GPS-guided narration, allowing you to visit key locations such as Brown Chapel, the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and the Alabama State Capitol. Discover the courageous stories of those who marched for equality, explore significant campsites, and delve into the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. Ideal for history enthusiasts, educators, and families, this tour offers a meaningful journey through America’s past.

- Follow the exact route of the historic march from Selma to Montgomery

- Visit significant sites including Brown Chapel and the Edmund Pettus Bridge

- Learn about the impactful events of Bloody Sunday and the Voting Rights Act

- Family-friendly tour suitable for all ages, engaging and educational

Itinerary

1. Brown Chapel AME Church · 10 min

   The spiritual and organizational headquarters of the Selma voting rights movement. This historic church served as the gathering place for marchers before Bloody Sunday and remains one of the most important landmarks in Civil Rights history.

2. Stop 2 · 10 min

   A key organizing center for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Civil rights leaders including John Lewis worked from this church as they coordinated voter registration efforts and protests.

3. Selma Interpretive Center · 10 min

   Operated by the National Park Service, this visitor center introduces travelers to the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail through exhibits, maps, and ranger-led information.

4. Edmund Pettus Bridge · 10 min

   One of the most iconic Civil Rights landmarks in America. This bridge was the site of Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965, when peaceful marchers were attacked while demanding voting rights.

5. Stop 5 · 10 min

   The first overnight campsite of the successful Selma to Montgomery March. Thousands of marchers camped here under federal protection during the first night of their historic journey.

6. Lowndes County Interpretive Center · 10 min

   One of the finest stops along the trail. Learn about Tent City, voting rights activism, and the birth of the Lowndes County Freedom Organization, whose symbol later inspired the Black Panther movement.

7. Stop 7 · 10 min

   Rosie Steele courageously allowed marchers to camp on her property despite threats and economic retaliation. Her story is one of the unsung acts of bravery that made the march possible.

8. Stop 8 · 10 min

   A memorial to Viola Liuzzo, a Detroit mother of five who traveled south to support the march and was murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan after the march concluded.

9. Stop 9 · 5 min

   A historic church that stands near the Viola Liuzzo Memorial and serves as a reminder of the central role churches played during the Civil Rights Movement.

10. Stop 10 · 5 min

    Learn the story of Elmore Bolling, a successful Black businessman murdered in 1947. His life and death illustrate the dangers faced by African Americans who challenged the racial status quo.

11. Stop 11 · 5 min

    The third overnight campsite of the march. The Gardner family opened their property despite threats and intimidation, demonstrating extraordinary courage during a dangerous time.

12. Stop 12 · 5 min

    The final campsite before marchers entered Montgomery. This was the site of the famous Stars for Freedom Rally featuring Harry Belafonte, Joan Baez, Nina Simone, Sammy Davis Jr., and other legendary performers.

13. Court Square Fountain · 5 min

    The historic heart of Montgomery. Once a major slave market, it later became a focal point of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and Civil Rights Movement.

14. Alabama State Capitol · 5 min

    The dramatic conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March. On March 25, 1965, more than 25,000 people gathered here as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "How Long? Not Long" speech.

Meeting point

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

End point: The dramatic conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March. On March 25, 1965, more than 25,000 people gathered here as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "How Long? Not Long" speech.

Good to know

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.