Definition

Proper noun A town in central Alabama, United States, located on the Alabama River. It is historically significant as the center of a major 1965 civil rights campaign aimed at registering Black voters.

Usage

"Selma" is used as a proper noun to refer specifically to this geographic location and its historical context. It is not used with articles (a, an, the) when naming the town itself.

Examples

• The march from Selma to Montgomery was a pivotal event in the American civil rights movement.
• Selma is an important site for understanding the struggle for voting rights.
• She traveled to Selma, Alabama, to visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

Advanced Usage

• The name "Selma" can be used metonymically to represent the broader 1965 voting rights campaign and the sacrifices made there.
  • The spirit of Selma inspired a generation of activists.

Variants and Related Words

• Selma to Montgomery Marches (proper noun phrase): Refers specifically to the three protest marches in 1965 that were a key part of the voting rights movement.

Synonyms

• (As a geographic location) City, town.
• (In historical context) Epicenter, focal point, crucible (of the voting rights movement).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• "The lessons of Selma": A phrase referring to the enduring principles of nonviolent protest and the fight for equal rights exemplified by the events there.
  • We must remember the lessons of Selma.
• "The bridge in Selma" / "The Selma bridge": Commonly refers to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the "Bloody Sunday" confrontation on March 7, 1965.
  • They gathered at the bridge in Selma for the anniversary commemoration.

Noun

1. a town in central Alabama on the Alabama river; in 1965 it was the center of a drive to register Black voters