Amelia Boynton Robinson (1911 - 2015)

Fri Aug 18, 1911

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Image: Amelia Boynton Robinson on February 21st, 2015 [Wikipedia]

Amelia Boynton Robinson, born on this day in 1911, was an American civil rights activist who played a key role in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches.

In 1964 and 1965, Boynton worked with Martin Luther King, Diane Nash, James Bevel, and others of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to plan civil rights demonstrations. During the infamous “Bloody Sunday” attack on the Selma to Montgomery marchers, Boynton suffered throat burns from tear gas and was beaten unconscious by police on horseback.

Despite suffering this violence, Boynton participated in the next two marches. The third was successful, and reached Montgomery on March 24th with more than 25,000 participants.

“I was brought up by people who loved others. I love people. We had no animosity. We had no feeling that we hate anyone.”

- Amelia Boynton Robinson