OU to welcome voting rights advocates who took part in 1965 Selma march

In honor of National Voter Registration Day, the Oakland University Center for Civic Engagement will welcome Alice Moore and Denise Holt who will share their experiences as voting rights advocates in the U.S. 

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms.

The pair became original foot soldiers in the battle for equal voting rights when, as teenagers, they marched with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in 1965. Their efforts proved pivotal as Congress would go on to pass the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 just a few months later.

"This event is an incredible opportunity for OU and all attendees, but especially for our students," said Dave Dulio, distinguished professor of political science and director of OU's Center for Civic Engagement. "They will have a chance to hear from two women who lived history. These types of occasions do not come along often. The CCE is delighted to bring these historic figures to campus and share the opportunity with others."

WXYZ Channel 7 News anchor Carolyn Clifford will moderate a discussion during which Holt and Moore will share their experiences championing voting rights, as well as the challenges they see in today’s political environment.

Sponsored by Promote The Vote and the League of Women Voters of Oakland Area, the event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit OU’s Center for Civic Engagement web page or contact Dr. Dulio at [email protected].