--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Selma helped make it possible for…" description: "\"Selma helped make it possible for hundreds and thousands of people in the South to become registered voters and encouraged people all across America to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/john-lewis-1310_america_selma-helped-make-it-possible-for-hundre_465646.jpg" --- # Selma helped make it possible for hundreds and thousands… ![“Selma helped make it possible for hundreds and thousands of people in the South to become registered voters and encouraged people all across America to become participants in a democratic process.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/john-lewis-1310_america_selma-helped-make-it-possible-for-hundre_465646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/john-lewis-1310_america_selma-helped-make-it-possible-for-hundre_465646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/john-lewis-1310_america_selma-helped-make-it-possible-for-hundre_465646.jpg) > “Selma helped make it possible for hundreds and thousands of people in the South to become registered voters and encouraged people all across America to become participants in a democratic process.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Selma’s activism enabled massive voter registration in the South and inspired nationwide civic participation. **In simple terms:** Selma helped many register to vote and motivated others to join democracy. Key Takeaway Promote voter registration and civic engagement. Themes civil rights democracy activism empowerment participation Mood inspirational determined hopeful Type historical motivational When to use this quote - community meetings - school voter drives - online registration campaigns - policy advocacy Key Concepts social change grassroots organizing political empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can modern movements sustain momentum? - What obstacles remain for voter registration? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers that still prevent full participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Participants Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participants-democratic-4035260/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Selma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selma-450866/) [Selma Helped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selma-helped-4035258/) [Thousands People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousands-people/) [Voters Encouraged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voters-encouraged-4035259/) ## Related quotes > [We come to Selma to be renewed. We come to be inspired. We come to be reminded that we must do the work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-come-to-selma-to-be-renewed-we-come-to-be-inspired-we-come-to-be/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [In 1965, the attempted march from Selma to Montgomery on March 7th was planned to dramatize to the state of Alabama and to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/in-1965-the-attempted-march-from-selma-to-montgomery-on-march-7th-was/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [It's not just Barack Obama, but I doubt Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton would have made it to the White House without Selma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/it-s-not-just-barack-obama-but-i-doubt-jimmy-carter-or-bill-clinton/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Selma was the turning point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/selma-was-the-turning-point/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [In Selma, Alabama, in 1965, only 2.1 percent of blacks of voting age were registered to vote. The only place you could attempt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/in-selma-alabama-in-1965-only-2-1-percent-of-blacks-of-voting-age/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The courage of federal Judge Frank Johnson is well-known.He was the one that gave the legal authority for the right to march from Selma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/the-courage-of-federal-judge-frank-johnson-is-well-known-he-was-the/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [There are many photos of Catholic priests and nuns marching in the Civil Rights movement, most notably at the March on Selma, Ala. in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/there-are-many-photos-of-catholic-priests-and-nuns-marching-in-the/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [I worked with James Orange and Hosea Williams as a teenager, and he's portrayed in the movie by Wendell Pierce. So, for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-dorsey/i-worked-with-james-orange-and-hosea-williams-as-a-teenager-and-he-s/) [Omar Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-dorsey/) > [On March 7, 1965, some 600 civil rights activists marched in Selma, Alabama, demanding an end to racial discrimination. The demonstration was led by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/on-march-7-1965-some-600-civil-rights-activists-marched-in-selma/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [“In 1965, as Ralph Gleason has reported, when Martin Luther King's march on Selma, Alabama, was brutally attacked by local and state constabulary, Louis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/in-1965-as-ralph-gleason-has-reported-when-martin-luther-king-s-march/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [“Faith, whichever way Selma understood it, infused her with a sense of surrender that could have been a cause of weakness had it not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elif-shafak/faith-whichever-way-selma-understood-it-infused-her-with-a-sense-of/) [Elif Shafak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elif-shafak/) > [More often than not ... 'Selma' focuses on the one thing we don't expect in a movie about Martin Luther King Jr. - his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burr/more-often-than-not-selma-focuses-on-the-one-thing-we-don-t-expect-in/) [Ty Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burr/) > [John Lewis is such a remarkable human being. Literally, such a beautiful human being. I remember the first time I met him. We were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-james/john-lewis-is-such-a-remarkable-human-being-literally-such-a/) [Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-james/) > [Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton cannot write a timeless letter to us from a Birmingham jail or walk, as John Lewis did in 1965,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/jesse-jackson-and-al-sharpton-cannot-write-a-timeless-letter-to-us/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [What I've learned about that word is context, where the world is coming from - in the era the film is set, it obviously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephan-james/what-i-ve-learned-about-that-word-is-context-where-the-world-is/) [Stephan James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephan-james/) ## More by John Lewis > [ I happen to believe that this election year \[2016\] is...one of the most important elections that we're going to face in a very long… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-happen-to-believe-that-this-election-year-2016-is-one-of-the-most/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. You cannot be at home with something that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-s-inauguration-will-be-the-first-one-that-i-miss-since-i/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [To question the legitimacy of the next United States president, you know, and you're worried about a tweet that says, hey, why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/to-question-the-legitimacy-of-the-next-united-states-president-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are tired of being beaten by policemen. We are tired of seeing our people locked up in jails over and over again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-are-tired-of-being-beaten-by-policemen-we-are-tired-of-seeing-our/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Now we have black and white elected officials working together. Today, we have gone beyond just passing laws. Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-vote-is-precious-it-s-almost-sacred-so-go-out-and-vote-like-you/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [My position is very, very simple. That I fought too long and too hard against discrimination based on race and color, not to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/my-position-is-very-very-simple-that-i-fought-too-long-and-too-hard/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Many of us in Nashville accepted nonviolence as a way of life, a way of living, not simply as a technique or a tactic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/many-of-us-in-nashville-accepted-nonviolence-as-a-way-of-life-a-way/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Right now, what my job is - pardon me? Those are just words. Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. 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