What We Do
Honoring the past and building the future
We believe that positive change happens only when you harness the strength and unique value that everyone brings to the table. It’s the philosophy that underpins our work, defines our goals, and drives our impact.
Driving impact through connection
All areas of our work are interconnected, community-centered, and focused on transformation –
building a future where Selma is a beacon for change, resilience, and prosperity.
Historic preservation
Civic Education & Community Engagement
Economic Empowerment
Historic preservation
For decades there’s been a systematic effort to erase Black history and rewrite it. At the core of our work is preserving the stories and lessons from the experiences of our civil rights heroes, elevating their legacy in Selma and beyond, and providing our community with the opportunity to position its historical significance into an engine for liberation, economic development, and racial justice.
Historic Tours
Immerse yourself in the civil rights movement and learn directly from those who walked the path to justice, including our founder Jo Ann Bland. Explore more and experience Selma.
Foot Soldiers Park &
Education Center
A place of reverence, learning, activism, and joy, the future park and education center will memorialize the contributions of Selma’s foot soldiers to American history and create new spaces for community engagement, job creation, and collective action.
Civic Education & Community Engagement
We empower the community by sharing the bravery and power of past foot soldiers — encouraging everyday people to amplify their own voices, establish their own leadership, and fuel the change they want to see as part of their futures. Walking in the steps of giants, we work to nurture the next generation of foot soldiers who can carry the legacy of Selma’s history towards building wealth and seizing every opportunity to create a more inclusive and just society.
National Youth Advisory Board (YAB)
The National Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is a visionary platform designed to harness the energy, passion, and innovative thinking of young leaders aged 14-18. YAB’s mission is to empower youth by recognizing and amplifying their voices as formidable tools for driving positive change, addressing critical issues, and contributing to the creation of an inclusive and just society.
Community Engagement Corps (CEC)
At Foot Soldiers Park, community education and engagement thrive 365 days a year, not just around election time. Building upon the legacy of the courageous foot soldiers in 1965, we actively engage community members in a year-round exploration of civic responsibility. Through immersive educational experiences, workshops, and events, Foot Soldiers Park inspires individuals to understand the significance of their voices in shaping the future.
You Owning Up to Your Responsibilities to the System (YOURS)
YOURS empowers and educates high school seniors in Selma and the surrounding Dallas County’s public schools about their civic duty, specifically the voting process. Through celebratory events and activities held at the schools, we register and educate young voters, with an eye toward addressing the historical disenfranchisement of the Black communities and instilling a lifelong commitment to civic participation.
Economic Empowerment
We believe in the power of partnership and the strength that emerges when community members are the architects of their own destiny. Our mission is not to impose solutions, but to actively listen, learn, and respond to the genuine needs of the Selma community.
Save Selma
In the aftermath of the devastating tornado that struck Selma in 2023, Foot Soldiers Park sprang into action, launching ‘Save Selma.’ This program was born out of the urgent need to provide both immediate and long-term assistance to the residents of Selma. The program is ongoing as we continue to recover from the devastation.
Family Empowerment
In Selma, where one in three residents faces poverty, systemic barriers often trap families in a cycle of financial hardship. The Family Empowerment program seeks to break this cycle by providing support, financial education, and access to resources that promote self-sufficiency and improve overall well-being.
Communities in Action
Foot Soldiers Park convenes a community table of local stakeholders, including community members, local nonprofits and businesses to develop plans for securing, deploying, and implementing public investment dollars for community development in housing, infrastructure, and economic development.
Foot Soldiers Park is at the intersection of history, art, health, economic development, and housing affordability. This is a very unique model that has potential to go way beyond Selma.
Foot Soldiers Park Funder
Let’s march together towards a better future
Invest in Foot Soldiers Park as we revitalize the city of Selma and seed the next generation of civil rights leaders.