Courage and Compassion

Fifty years ago, a mother of five children saw the horror of Bloody Sunday on national TV. She heard and responded to Dr. King’s invitation to go to Selma. Taking a stand against the evil of segregation and racism and desiring to support and be in solidarity with the African Americans who were experiencing life-threatening atrocities and were denied the right to vote, Mrs. Viola Liuzzo left her Detroit home and traveled to Selma to participate in the voting rights march to Selma and to be of service to her African American brothers and sisters.

On March 25, 1965, while driving from Selma to Montgomery with a young African American, Leroy Moton, she was pursued and shot to death by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Mrs. Viola Liuzzo was a woman of great courage and tremendous capacity for compassion and service. We remember Mrs. Viola Liuzzo's service. She was not afraid to confront the evil of racism.

May we draw inspiration from her great courage, compassion and service so that we might stand against the evil of racism today.

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” -John 15:13