For the last time, Civil Rights icon and matriarch of the voting rights movement Amelia Boynton Robinson crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

A ceremony was held Tuesday for Boynton Robinson, who passed away Aug. 26. A group of people including family, friends, foot soldiers from the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches and others made their way from the historic Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church to the Selmont side of the bridge, where her remains were scattered in the Alabama River.

Foot soldier Charles Mauldin said he and Boynton Robinson were close, and he lost a dear friend.

“I’ve known Mrs. Boynton all my life, and so I knew her as a person,” Mauldin said. “So in terms of a person, she had integrity, and she was well-educated, which was unique during those times. More importantly, she was not only educated, she took her time to educate and involve everybody else.”

Mauldin said Boynton Robinson was a very dedicated person and had a passion for serving others.

“She lived a very committed and long life,” Maudlin said. “She served the people.”

As the crowd of people made their way to and over the bridge, they sang freedom songs.

“We will overcome” and “if we don’t keep on marching we’re through” could be heard as they made their way to the river bank

At the ceremony were many key people from the voting rights movement, including the Rev. Frederick Douglas Reese, who only had positive things to say about Boynton Robinson.

“We walked together, talked together, we enjoyed many things together. And so I stand here today to give words of thanks to God, for having known her and having been a part of many difficult time that she encountered,” Reese said. “I can only say, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, thank you Lord.”

The last person to speak before everyone made their way down to the river was Boynton Robinson’s son, Bruce Boynton.

“I say to you that we are indeed grateful for you and what you have done and the programs surrounding my mothers death, but we are indeed grateful for all of your support as it relates to the Boyntons,” he said.

After speaking about his mother and his father, Samuel, Boynton made his was down to the river beside the Edmund Pettus Bridge to spread the ashes of his mother. Rose pedals were sprinkled along the path to the river and along the bank.

As Boynton spread the ashes, tears were shed and roses were tossed into the river as a final goodbye to voting rights legend.