Rep. Juan Vargas Participates in Civil Rights Pilgrimage in Alabama
WASHINGTON, DC (March 6, 2015) – Today, Rep. Juan Vargas is participating in the 15th Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage in Alabama. The event is taking place March 6-8, 2015 at various landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement. This trip is organized by the Faith and Politics Institute and is comprised of a bipartisan group of Members of Congress from both chambers.
“I am looking forward to participating in the Civil Rights Pilgrimage in Alabama this year,” said Vargas. “It will be a humbling experience. Our bipartisan group will unite as we pay tribute to those who marched for the just cause of racial equality and changed the course of our nation’s history.”
The timing of the trip is especially important as this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Selma Marches, which were seminal events for the Civil Rights Movement. The pilgrimage will last three days and will make stops in Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery. The pilgrimage will include a Commemoration on the Edmund Pettus Bridge to mark the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday that took place March 7, 1965. The group will also go to the Alabama State Capitol and the Civil Rights Memorial.
“Fifty years after these events took place, we recognize how much progress our country has made,” said Vargas. “However, it’s crucial we reflect on how much work there is still to be done.”