Americans crave nobility in their history, seeking out triumphant moments that reinforce exceptionalist narratives, but there is tragedy threaded through all of America’s story.

When there is no way to recast or paint over ugliness, the dominant mythology will ignore the past or try to shrink it down — pretend it didn’t happen or isn’t as bad as everyone would believe. That’s when an accurate accounting of history relies on journalists, documentarians, brave bystanders and participants to capture reality in ways that hold us accountable.

In 2020 Minneapolis, Darnella Frazier, a teenager at the time, refused to look away as George Floyd was murdered by agents of the state.

Spider Martin portrait

In 1965 Selma, Spider Martin, a 26-year-old newspaper photographer, was among those who captured moments of Black fortitude and white brutality as marchers were beaten and tear-gassed crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Images and video from Bloody Sunday, on March 7, and the persistence of marchers in the days and weeks afterward, helped turn public opinion and galvanize the government to action in the movement for civil rights.

As we mark 60 years since the Selma to Montgomery marches, here are some of the images Martin captured.

Photo of protesters walking along a bridge and road
John Lewis, the Rev. Hosea Williams, Albert Turner, Bob Mants and Charles Mauldin lead the first march to Montgomery across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965.
a photo of a group of police officers about to clash with a group of protesters
The Rev. Hosea Williams, John Lewis, Albert Turner, Bob Mants, Charles Mauldin and other participants in the March for Voting Rights from Selma to Montgomery were confronted by Alabama state troopers just after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Image of protesters, including Martin Luther King Jr., interlocking arms
Ralph Abernathy, James Forman, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. S.L. Douglas lead the voting rights march to the Montgomery County Courthouse, March 17, 1965.
Overhead photo of a large group of protesters
From the roof of Brown Chapel AME Church, Spider Martin photographed this scene of the 3,200 demonstrators preparing to march to Montgomery, March 21, 1965.
Photo of protesters walking along a bridge and road
John Lewis, the Rev. Hosea Williams, Albert Turner, Bob Mants and Charles Mauldin lead the first march to Montgomery across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on March 7, 1965.
a photo of a group of police officers about to clash with a group of protesters
The Rev. Hosea Williams, John Lewis, Albert Turner, Bob Mants, Charles Mauldin and other participants in the March for Voting Rights from Selma to Montgomery were confronted by Alabama state troopers just after crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge.
Image of protesters, including Martin Luther King Jr., interlocking arms
Ralph Abernathy, James Forman, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. S.L. Douglas lead the voting rights march to the Montgomery County Courthouse, March 17, 1965.
Overhead photo of a large group of protesters
From the roof of Brown Chapel AME Church, Spider Martin photographed this scene of the 3,200 demonstrators preparing to march to Montgomery, March 21, 1965.