City in the state of Alabama. Earned its spot in the history books in 1965 as the site of several marches by area and visiting blacks demanding an equal right to vote. Like Birmingham before it, the marches were put down violently and many participants, including Martin Luther King, Jr., were imprisoned. Within six months, these marches were followed by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
On Tuesday, September 12, 2000, the city of Selma voted out the mayor responsible for the 1965 police crackdown (who had long since apologized for his segregationist past) and replaced him with their first black mayor, James Perkins. The city responded with all-night parties and street celebrations usually reserved for winners of NBA championships.