Overlooked, Forgotten and Untold Stories
Edmund Pettus Bridge - Photo Credit: Civil Rights Trail
Pastor in the Public Square and National Policy Director at Faith in Action, the Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, is a public theologian, pastor, and organizer with over 30 years of experience integrating biblical justice into activism. As an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a national advocate against financial predation, Dr. Gould has been instrumental in bridging the gap between the church and the streets. Her mentorship and coaching helped us birth BLK South, and we are honored to have her on our board. We are honored to have her join the BLK South Learn More
This month marked the 60th Anniversary of the March on Selma, also known as Bloody Sunday. This country has an abnormal obsession with blood, especially the blood spilled of innocent lives who prematurely become pummeled bodies, so we commemorate tragedies but fail to disrupt the bloodletting systems. We also love dead heroes, well some of them, despite often hating them while they are living. We return to Selma each March to remember the bravery and blood shed of and by a few well known people but countless other unknown soldiers were fighting then and now. I look forward to these celebrations even when I don't make the journey. Selma was my mother's Ferguson. It was the place she put her body on the line along with hundreds of other unknown saints, sheroes and heroes. As I have previously shared, mom was there on Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965, when the late Congressman John Lewis, Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led the March.
While the idea of single heroes with one occasional side kick is at the core of superhero stories in literature and on television, movement spaces are always leaderful and there are many names that we will never know.
Edmund Pettus Bridge - Photo Credit: Civil Rights Trail
The American capitalist inspired culture of individualism and myth of scarcity makes it easy to focus on one hero at a time and to only celebrate or recognize one part of a story. There were three important marches that occurred in Selma. Dr. King was not in Selma for the first march but arrived to lead the second march on Tuesday, March 9, 1965 also known as “Turnaround Tuesday.” This was because the marchers were forced to turn around due to a court order and they complied. Yesterday my Facebook memories reminded me of the fact that the third march ended on March 25, 1965. The marchers walked 54 miles from Selma to the state Capitol in Montgomery, it took approximately four days. They were accompanied by the National Guard to ensure they made it and arrived on March 25, 2025. Seemingly without incident but later that day, Viola Fauver Gregg Liuzzo, a Unitarian Universalist was murdered because she dared to show up for justice. We say her name as a saint and a hero as well. These three marches, the tragic events involved and great community organizing resulted in the historic and consistently at risk Voting Rights Act of 1965. Ironically on this 60th anniversary of the third march I had the opportunity to meet and sit at the feet of an elder, Mr. George Shinhoster who was there in Selma as a 17 year old organizer and his experiences led to a life dedicated to justice and organizing. He shared the story on behalf of other unknown saints and heroes. He posed a question to us, “Are you willing to lead when someone else will get the credit?”
Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould and Mr. George Shinhoster
In this season, it will take many of us taking action where we are to ensure that no matter how many times we have to cross the bridge toward justice we will stay in the fight. Our names may not appear in history books, someone else may get all of the credit but building a pathway to liberation, fighting for justice is the real work of saints, sheroes and heroes. In this season where villains have studied us and are prepared to do us harm, we can't afford to be solo actors or to have one superhero. Unlike in the comics, novels and television shows the villains are real and they are not coming to get one of us. They are coming for all of us. There is safety in numbers.
This is a good opportunity to collaborate with like minded people, to co-create and conspire pathways to liberation. During the third march Dr. King and the many sang the gospel song, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around.” These last few months for some of us have felt like we were turned around but in the days and months ahead may we be led by the sentiment of that old movement song and find and connect to our people. This is the work of ordinary heroes, sheroes and saints. If they never call your name, know that you are enough. To all of the unsong sheroes, heroes and saints in movement spaces. I salute you and more importantly GOD sees you. I also encourage you to tell your own story.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
In what ways could your story be a source of encouragement, healing, or empowerment for others?
What aspects of your story make it uniquely yours, and how do they shape your perspective?
What accomplishment in your life are you most proud of, and why does it matter to you?
What fears, doubts, or barriers are preventing you from sharing your story openly?
If you choose not to tell your story, who might miss out on the truth, hope, or wisdom it carries?
R E C O M M E N D I N G R E A D I N G
