BETHANY BEACH, Del.- March 7, 1965. It was a "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, Alabama as John Lewis led a march pushing for people of all races to have the right to vote.
Fast forward over five and half decades and a gathering happened again. This time was a peaceful call for change led by students of Cape Henlopen High School.
In a group outside of school with other kids in Sussex County, participants talked about injustice in America today. To learn about Lewis’s challenges during his life, the group viewed a documentary "John Lewis: Good Trouble". Kids including Cape Henlopen High School Junior Quinlyn Long found connections in issues from then to now.
"We were inspired by his heroic actions and everything he faced," Long said. "We wanted to honor him through a walk of our own. So, we decided to take the steps to hold a march honoring him."
The kids needed some help to organize the event safely. School counselor and President of the Seaside Jewish Community Joel Simon was pleasantly surprised by the kids’ inspiration and drive to put a march on.
"We didn’t know if we would have ten to fifteen kids interested, but it turned out that we had over one hundred that were interested," Simon said. "So, I was thrilled with the amount of participation and the excitement that was generated."
The Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice co-sponsored the event. Steering committee member Joseph Lawson was one of the 250 marchers and was impressed by the kids’ interest.
"Too many times the stereotype is kids not caring you know playing games and whatever," Lawson said. "Here, young people came to us to say we want to commemorate the work of this great man and we could not not help them make this happen."
An important day in American history recognized by young people and connecting it to them in their own society.