By Blake Deshazo

The Selma Times-Journal

Next month people will get the chance to meet the youngest of the Foot Soldiers that marched from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.

The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the marches with a book signing with Lynda Blackmon Lowery. There will be two signings at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14 at the By the River Center for Humanities at 1306 Water Ave. in Selma.

Her book, “Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March,” was released Jan. 8. The book tells the story of Lowery’s participation in the march and what it was like being the youngest person to do so.

“I am honored for her to do this book singing with us,” said Theresa Hall, a park ranger with the National Park Service. “She actually came to me several months ago when she found out the book was getting published. She said she wanted to announce the book and to have a book signing.”

Hall said it is important to give people in Selma this opportunity because Lowery’s book can be a teaching tool, especially for young people.

“I think her story is important to get out there especially to kids,” Hall said.

“The kids nowadays don’t really know a whole lot about Selma or what the people did here.”

Lowery was 14 when she started marching, but by the time she reached Montgomery, she had turned 15.

“I started out marching from Selma to Montgomery on March 21, 1965, as a 14-year-old, and on March 22, 1965, I turned 15 years old,” Lowery recalled.

Lowery has spent the last couple of weeks on book tours. She recently presented her book at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. While she has traveled to several big cities to promote the book, she is especially excited about sharing her story with people in Selma.

“It would just be so awesome to do it in my hometown,” Lowery said.

Books can be purchased at the event or on Amazon.com.