Selma

Selma
/sel"meuh/, n.
1. a city in central Alabama, on the Alabama River. 26,684.
2. a town in central California. 10,942.
3. a female given name.

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      city, seat (1865) of Dallas county, central Alabama, U.S. It lies on the Alabama River about 50 miles (80 km) west of Montgomery. The site was first recorded on a map in 1732 as Ecor Bienville; it was later called Moore's Bluff, for a settler who arrived about 1815. It was renamed about 1819 by William Rufus King (King, William Rufus de Vane), an organizer of the town, for one of Scottish poet James Macpherson (Macpherson, James)'s Ossian poems. A Confederate supply depot during the American Civil War, it was burned by Union troops after being captured in battle (April 2, 1865).

 In March 1965 Selma was the centre of an African American voter-registration drive led by Martin Luther King, Jr (King, Martin Luther, Jr.). Local violence against civil-rights (civil rights movement) activists, culminating in an attack by police on demonstrators crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge over the river and the murder of James J. Reeb, a Boston clergyman, led to a massive, nonviolent protest march from Selma to Montgomery, the state capital. The route of the march was designated the Selma-to-Montgomery National Historic Trail in 1996. The National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, located near the bridge, commemorates the struggle that resulted in passage of the Voting Rights Act.

      Agriculture (including cattle raising and catfish farming), timber, and manufacturing (including paper, farm machinery, automotive parts, and candy) contribute to the economy. The city is the seat of Selma University (1878), Wallace Community College Selma (1963), and Concordia College (1922). Sturdivant Hall (1853) is one of several surviving antebellum buildings. The Bridge Crossing Jubilee in March commemorates the voting rights march. Paul M. Grist State Park and the western segment of Talladega National Forest are to the north. Inc. 1820. Pop. (2000) 20,512; (2006 est.) 19,265.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Selma — may refer to: TOCrightPlaces*Selma, Nova Scotia, Canada *Selma, Switzerland, a village in the Grisons *Selma, Algeria *in the United States: **Selma, Alabama, a city in Dallas County, best known for the Selma to Montgomery marches, three civil… …   Wikipedia

  • Selma — Selma, AL U.S. city in Alabama Population (2000): 20512 Housing Units (2000): 9264 Land area (2000): 13.862794 sq. miles (35.904469 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.580171 sq. miles (1.502635 sq. km) Total area (2000): 14.442965 sq. miles (37.407104… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma — ist ein weiblicher Vorname, siehe Selma (Vorname) – dort auch Namensträgerinnen eine Kartoffelsorte, siehe Selma (Kartoffel) der Name eines norwegischen Seeungeheuers, siehe Selma (Seeungeheuer) Selma, Künstlername der isländischen Popsängerin… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Selma — Escudo …   Wikipedia Español

  • Selma, AL — U.S. city in Alabama Population (2000): 20512 Housing Units (2000): 9264 Land area (2000): 13.862794 sq. miles (35.904469 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.580171 sq. miles (1.502635 sq. km) Total area (2000): 14.442965 sq. miles (37.407104 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma, CA — U.S. city in California Population (2000): 19444 Housing Units (2000): 5815 Land area (2000): 4.344364 sq. miles (11.251851 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.344364 sq. miles (11.251851 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma, IN — U.S. town in Indiana Population (2000): 880 Housing Units (2000): 349 Land area (2000): 0.848424 sq. miles (2.197409 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.848424 sq. miles (2.197409 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma, NC — U.S. town in North Carolina Population (2000): 5914 Housing Units (2000): 2515 Land area (2000): 3.230612 sq. miles (8.367247 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.230612 sq. miles (8.367247 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma, TX — U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 788 Housing Units (2000): 298 Land area (2000): 4.866418 sq. miles (12.603964 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 4.866418 sq. miles (12.603964 sq. km) FIPS code …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma, VA — U.S. Census Designated Place in Virginia Population (2000): 485 Housing Units (2000): 217 Land area (2000): 0.314373 sq. miles (0.814222 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 0.314373 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Selma — Selma1 [sel′mə] n. [< ? Gr selma, a ship] a feminine name Selma2 [sel′mə] city in SC Ala.: site of a voter registration drive led by Martin Luther King, Jr., & starting point for a civil rights march to Montgomery, Ala. (1965): pop. 21,000 …   English World dictionary

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