Greater Peoria League of Women Voters Co-sponsors Film,

Selma, the Bridge to the Ballot

League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria and NAACP Peoria will host a special screening of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) documentary Selma: The Bridge to the Ballot, the true story of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march.

The film will be screened at 1pm on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Lincoln Branch Library 1312 W. Lincoln Ave. Peoria 61605.

“You will see in the movie how the teachers and students 50 years ago made a difference,” said Helen King, NAACP co-chair of “Selma” film screening.” We should remember the sacrifices made to be able to vote. Everyone needs to vote. We can change things.”

Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer, the documentary by the SPLC’s Teaching Tolerance project tells an important story not touched on by the Hollywood feature – the true story of the forgotten heroes of the fight for voting rights, the courageous students and teachers in Selma, Alabama, who stood up against injustice despite facing intimidation, violence and arrest.

By organizing and marching bravely, these activists achieved one of the most significant victories of the civil rights era – passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The film is a powerful reminder that each person has the ability to bring about social change.

Despite this victory, only about six in 10 eligible citizens exercised their right to vote in the 2012 presidential election. That means approximately 90 million voters did not cast ballots. Voter turnout dropped to a 72-year low in 2014.

A key to increasing voter turnout is encouraging young people to vote. Research shows that when young people vote, they are more likely to vote later in life – helping to ensure a new generation of active and engaged voters.