Professor Veryl Miles published an article in Catholic Standard on February 13, 2025, providing a reflection on the historic marches from Selma to Montgomery. The piece explores shifting perspectives over time and emphasizes the vital roles of determination and persistence, connecting them to the influence of faith and the transformative power of prayer.
Click here to view the article.
Catholic Standard
Date: February 13, 2025
By: Veryl Miles
Walking in Faith: Three Marches from Selma to Montgomery
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My perspective of the Selma to Montgomery marches is different from what it was 60 years ago, when all I saw were the images of brutalized marchers. Today, I have learned to focus on the faith these marchers possessed to keep walking. I remember the images of the marchers kneeling and praying as well, and the adage about three possible answers to prayer, “yes, no, and not yet.” Each one of which they experienced in the three marches.
After the violent response to the first march, I imagine most people would have given up in fear after what they encountered. But they did not. And while the march was discontinued upon the second attempt, the marchers waited for the court and government officials to help them reach their ultimate goal to complete the walk to Montgomery. And finally, their prayers were answered when they crossed the bridge on the third attempt.
Their determination and persistence are now seared in my mind as some of the greatest examples of faith and the power of prayer. As described in Hebrews, Chapter 11, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” This is what the Selma to Montgomery marches mean to me today and sustain my hope.
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