To those of us who live in Selma, the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee can seem like a blur at times, with a flurry of activity and thousands of visitors that crowd our streets.

From Thursday’s welcome reception at the St. James Hotel to Sunday’s bridge crossing re-enactment, there will hardly be a time where the city will not be alive with speeches and dances, as well as prayers and laughter.

And seems silly to say during the most important week in our city’s calender, but we hope everyone, the young and the old, can take time to remember the real reason we come together every year to celebrate the Jubilee.

We come together to remember the Courageous Eight.

We come together to remember the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We come to together to remember the blood, sweat and tears so many gave and gave and gave… until they had no more to give, so the opportunities once afforded to only some Americans, could be rightly given to all.

There are many terrific events planned for this year’s Jubilee, and we hope to see huge crowds again this year at the Miss Jubilee Pageant, the “Stomp Out to Vote” Step Show as well as at the battle of the bands competition and the masses and breakfasts that will be held throughout the week.

No matter your race, color or creed, our Jubilee is a time for us all to honor the extraordinary work of the men and women who paved the way to freedom.