Federal Power in Focus: Remembering the Selma to Montgomery March
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Nearly 60 years ago, a pivotal moment in American civil rights history unfolded as President Lyndon B. Johnson federalized the Alabama National Guard to protect marchers journeying from Selma to Montgomery. This unprecedented move came after Alabama Governor George Wallace refused to uphold a federal court order ensuring demonstrators’ safety.
Historian Barry McNeely from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute emphasizes that this event highlighted the limits of state authority in the face of federal government action. "The power of the federal government is paramount," McNeely stated, referencing Wallace’s futile attempts to resist federal oversight, notably during the infamous schoolhouse door incident at the University of Alabama.
Once the court affirmed the marchers’ rights, Johnson mobilized federal troops—no longer under Wallace’s control—to ensure safe passage for the protestors to the state capitol. "Without that intervention, their safety would have been at serious risk," McNeely observed.
Grounded in the Insurrection Act of 1807, the president’s intervention illustrated constitutional supremacy, where federal authority prevails during conflicts with state governance. McNeely noted that these federal interventions are not unique to Johnson; previous presidents had also deployed troops to enforce civil rights, underscoring a crucial historical pattern.
Reflecting on the modern implications of federal power, McNeely argues that the same authority wielded by past presidents remains applicable today. "We must judiciously use power when addressing legitimate public concerns," he stated, reinforcing the need for thoughtful governance over brute force.
As the Selma deployment remains the last example of the federal government sending troops without state approval, it serves as a enduring reminder of the government’s capacity to act decisively when necessary.
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