The legacy of the four martyrs of the march that were killed fighting for equal voting rights will be remembered for generations in the Riverfront Park, as the city of Selma planted four willow oak trees Wednesday in their honor.

In the months that led up to the passing of the Voting Rights Act, Jimmie Lee Jackson, the Rev. James Reeb, Viola Liuzzo and Jonathan Daniels were each killed for standing for what they believed in.

“It is a tribute to their service and to them giving the ultimate sacrifice,” said Director of Planning and Development James Benderson.

“Everyone in this city is familiar with them. They know about [the martyrs]. There are a variety of other markers around the city as well to remind them of them, so this is our way of paying tribute to them.”

The trees could have been planted anywhere in Selma, but Benderson wanted them in the park.

“We wanted the trees to remind people in the park as they walk or sit and look at the bridge or the river,” Benderson said.

“With the Riverfront Park being one of our city jewels that we want everybody to come to, what better way to make note of it than putting in trees that are going to grow and be big and beautiful.”

Members of the community showed up to help plant the trees and bless them, as they grow in memory of the martyrs.

“On behalf of these four, we dedicate these trees as a lasting memory and a reminder that will outlive all of us to remind us that there are people that paid the ultimate price so that we could learn an important lesson here in Selma, one that we need to grow from and learn from,” said pastor Jerry Light of First Baptist Church.

“They died for freedom’s sake. They died standing up for a right that they were granted and they deserved, but others, in their anger and their bitterness and evil, took their lives away. I pray that as we plant these trees as a living monument to those who died we would remember their lives, remember their sacrifices and that we would never forget them but that we would be changed because of them.”

Once the trees are completely planted and their roots begin to grow, the city plans on placing a plaque at the base of each tree to show which tree represents each martyr.

As pastor Light prayed for the trees and blessed their growth, he reminded the people in attendance of the sanctity of the sacrifice paid by each of the martyrs and that they should never be forgotten.

“These people paid the ultimate price,” Light said.

“I remind people when they want to change the name of the bridge by saying, ‘You know, if we forget our history, we are doomed to repeat it.’ We don’t ever want this to happen again.”