Lowndes Interpretive Center, Coosa Valley Travel Guide

The Lowndes Interpretive Center, located in Hayneville, Alabama, stands as a powerful monument along the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Opened in August 2006, this National Park Service facility offers an immersive journey into the events that shaped the fight for voting rights in the United States. The center commemorates the people, events, and route of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March, a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.Lowndes County, despite having a majority-Black population, was a stronghold of white supremacy at the time. Discriminatory practices prevented Black citizens from voting. The marchers faced hostility and violence in the county, making it a critical battleground in the fight for equality.The exhibits within the Lowndes Interpretive Center vividly portray the events that unfolded during the Selma to Montgomery March. Interactive displays, historical photographs, and compelling narratives bring to life the stories of the marchers and local activists. The center also explores other significant events that occurred in Lowndes County during the Civil Rights Movement, including the confrontation of Jonathan Daniels and the Tent City. Visitors can also view the film "Never Lose Sight of Freedom".