WHITE HALL — In the 1960s the national spotlight shined on Lowndes County.

This week the attention returned again during the 45th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march.

People gathered again to walk where others — Jesse Jackson, John Lewis and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — once walked along U.S. 80 in protest.

They came from all parts of the country to remember.

“This has been an incredible opportunity to talk to people from all walks of life,” said Giles Perkins, a candidate for attorney general.

Just as in the 1960s, rain did not stop the marchers from accomplishing their primary goal of proceeding toward the capital in Montgomery.

The group pressed forward past the Interpretive Center in White Hall on Tuesday to stop at the Viola Liuzzo memorial. Liuzzo was from Michigan. She was murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan after the Selma-to-Montgomery march.

She had helped drive local marchers home.

She was 39 years old when she was murdered.

The memorial is a well known symbol in the fight against discrimination.

The march was highlighted by several Buddhist monks who walked along the historic route as marchers held their banners high and sang songs.