Members of the “Courageous Eight,” a group of local ministers who helped to organize and fight for voting rights in the 1960s in Selma, will be honored and recognized on Saturday, April 13.

The third annual John D. Taylor Scholarship Banquet at Wallace Community College Selma will be hosted by the Selma chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. in an event to honor, “God’s Warriors.”

Ministers like F.D. Reese, pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church for the last 48 years, worked with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders to improve voter registration for blacks in Selma.

Reese and other ministers were in a group formerly known as the Dallas County Voter’s League that worked to make voting rights a reality and Reese was the president of the league.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. president of the Delta Pi Lambda chapter, Joseph Bumbrey. Sr. said it is very important that members of the community do not forget who these men were.

“Its very important that the people in this community never forget what these people have done for Selma and the country and the world really,” Bumbrey said. “Because as you know this movement is worldwide and these are the people that spearheaded that movement, who got the people going and got them involved to do things that had to be done.”

Those being honored include Rev. Dr. C.A. Lett, who has served as a minister for 80 years at Calvary and Green Street Missionary Baptist Churches; Rev. Dr. F.D. Reese who was the main leader in the Courageous Eight; Rev,. J.D. Hunter of Carmel Baptist Church; Rev. Henry Shannon of Oak Grove Baptist Church; Rev. Dr. L.L. Anderson who was former pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church where the first mass meeting for the movement was held; and Rev. P.H. Lewis, former pastor of Brown Chapel AME Churchin Selma.

The fraternity will also award scholarships to graduating high school seniors from the area like the Mini Jewel Scholarships and the Ben Givan Scholarship in honor of Givan who was a long time educator in Selma.

Tickets for the event are $30 per person and can be purchased by calling 334-874-8136.