By Blake Deshazo

The Selma Times-Journal

Fifty years ago during the summer of 1965, members of the R.B. Hudson High School choir toured the country singing and sharing their stories about the Voting Rights Movement in Selma.

E. Faye Martinear, who was a member of the choir, is bringing an exhibit to Selma during the 50th anniversary Bridge Crossing Jubilee that will display memorabilia from the choir’s tour.

“It really means the world to me because over the years I have shared this material including the album we made after the choir went on tour,” Martinear said. “To be able to share this for what I call a true homecoming means the world to me.”

The exhibit will be on display Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library.

The death of civil rights activist Viola Liuzzo after the march from Selma to Montgomery was completed served as motivation for the choir to tour, according to Martinear.

“The whole idea of the tour came about when we performed at a memorial for Ms. Viola Liuzzo, and one of the people that were there discussed the idea with Perry Anderson, who was then director of the choir,” Martinear remembered.

The choir performed in cities along the east and west coasts during that summer.

“We went on what was the eastern tour, which included Rockville, Md. and the World’s Fair, which was in New York City,” Martinear said. “Then [we went on] the western tour, which included [going] up and down the coast of California, Reno, Nev., St Louis, Mo. and places like that.”

The choir sang with a purpose as they toured the country.

“It was to share our talents first of all, but it was also to talk about what was going on there in Selma,” Martinear said. “It was an opportunity for people in other cities to hear firsthand from the young people about events there in Selma.”

During her trip back home to the Queen City during the jubilee, Martinear hopes to reunite with some of her fellow choir members.

“[It will be] a real reunion in a sense of we shared so much 50 years ago,” Martinear said.

A commemorative edition of the album the choir recorded after going on tour will be available at the Foot Soldiers Breakfast, which will be held Saturday, March 7 from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. at R.B. Hudson Middle School.

Proceeds from the album will benefit the Selma City Schools.

“I have collaborated with Dr. Larry DiChiara, and so the school district is actually providing the CDs that we will be using,” Martinear said. “I really wanted to be able to showcase something positive that the school system was doing 50 years ago.”