The skies were overcast and the air was chilled Sunday, setting the stage for a somber, but special recognition of the 46th anniversary of ‘Bloody Sunday.’

On the very spot were marchers, who set out to petition for their right to vote in a planned Selma-to-Montgomery march, met the angry batons of state and local law enforcement on March 7, 1965, thousands joined hand in hand and kneeled together for a moment of prayer.

Just past the apex of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, spanning the Alabama River, marchers prayed for the movement that many believe led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and for continued efforts in strengthening the civil rights of Americans.

“Today we are on holy ground,” one pastor said, leading thousands in prayer. “This is holy ground.”

The march re-enactment Sunday afternoon was the culminating event of the 18th annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee, an event organizers were still both recovering from and celebrating the results of.

“I think we had a very good response,” National Voting Rights Museum executive director Ollie Taal said. “It was great that all types of people from all over the world were here in Selma to respect and honor the events of Bloody Sunday. It would be great to do some other things in the future to get them to say longer.”

Visitors flocked to Selma from all over the state, nation and world to take part in remembering the 46th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Cara Mitchell, an Alpha Kappa Alpha at Alabama State University in Montgomery, said she had always heard about Selma, but had never visited.

Her Jubilee trip did not disappoint.

“My sorority sister in Selma talks about it a lot and it definitely lived up to all my expectations,” she said. “The people are amazing here in Selma. They are friendly, the food is great and we are having a good time.”

Additional celebrations throughout the year, Taal said, could provide a boost to the economy for the entire Black Belt region.

“We’d love to see more events like this to draw more people to Selma,” she said. “Yes, we commemorate Bloody Sunday, but the history of that struggle is year-round.”

More events, Taal said, can also help with the healing process the city continues to endure. Tourism, she said, is a great way to keep businesses and organizations working together on a wider plain.

“For us to do things like this more often we are going to need the support of everyone,” she said. “The city, the chamber and everyone. They have supported us and we always come together for this event. We just need to come together more often and have more events to attract tourism to Selma.”