On Monday, organizers for the 54th Anniversary Bridge Crossing Jubilee in Selma held a press conference to announce a bevy of national figures who have confirmed they will be in attendance for this year’s event.

At least two presidential candidates have confirmed that they will attend the largest Civil Rights commemoration in the United States – Julian Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama, and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH.

Former Alabama Sen. Hank Sanders, who led the press conference, noted that several other presidential candidates have been invited to this year’s event and their names will be announced in the coming days.

Sanders said he expects four or five others to be in attendance.

Several well-known Civil Rights leaders will also be in attendance, including Poor Peoples Campaign Co-Chair Dr. William Barber, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Southern Christian Leadership Conference National President Charles Steele, Martin Luther King III and Rev. Bernice King.

The presidential candidates, as well as the Civil Rights leaders, will be in attendance at the Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King Unity Breakfast scheduled for Sunday, March 3 at 7:30 a.m. at Wallace Community College – Selma.

Other well-known figures slated to attend this year’s commemoration are former Essence Magazine Editor Susan Taylor, American media personality Roland Martin, radio host Rev. Mark Thompson and Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, the unarmed man choked to death by New York police for allegedly selling loose cigarettes, will also be in attendance.

Event organizer Faya Rose Toure noted that she is calling on “the mothers and fathers of murdered children” to attend this year’s event and will provide free tickets to any victims who take up the invitation.

In addition to attending the unity breakfast Sunday, these figures will be on hand for the Freedom Flame Awards Gala being held Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. at the Carl Morgan Convention Center.

These noted attendees join former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whose appearance was previously announced.

Sanders said this year’s commemoration includes 40 to 50 events and features “hundreds of speakers.” Additionally, musical performances will be held on the amphitheater stage for the first time in the event’s history.

Toure noted during the press conference that the event gives Selma a unique opportunity to promote itself.

“It’s time to do something for Selma,” Toure said. “Selma is now one of the poorest cities in America per capita.”

Toure noted that many national and international dignitaries come to Selma for this event but rarely stay or spend their money or use their prestige to help the struggling city – she’s hoping this year will be different.