By Stephen Dawkins and Emily Reed | The Selma Times-Journal

“Inspiring” was likely the most common word used to describe U.S. President Barack Obama’s speech Saturday commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday march in Selma.

Four-year-old Marley Stewart may have been one of the most inspired.

“I want to be president,” Stewart said moments after Obama finished his address at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of a violent incident during the civil rights movement that drew the world’s attention to Selma, much like Saturday’s event.

Stewart listened to the speech with her 7-year-old brother Miles and father Maurice Stewart. The family drove over from Atlanta and stayed in Montgomery Friday night.

“They were more than excited about coming,” Maurice Stewart said about his children. “This was a great opportunity for me to experience history and bridge the gap for my children between all the things I’ve told them and getting to be here themselves.”

Larry Dichiara, acting superintendent of the Selma school system, said he hoped many children other than the Stewarts were listening.

“I thought he hit the mark,” Dichiara said. “I’m here five days a week, but I came here today because I wanted to be a part of it.”

Alfreda Harris traveled with some members of her family from Atlanta to hear President Obama’s remark.

“I thought it was very eloquent,” Harris said referring to Obama’s speech. “He talked about how much work there is to be done and that really hit home with me because we do need to fight harder. The struggle is still very real and we still have individuals who are trying to dilute the right to vote.”

Kezia Harris came with her aunt Alfreda Harris from Georgia and said she was thankful her aunt brought her to see a historic event.

“I thought it was really cool to hear President Obama,” Kezia Harris said.

Members from the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida started their journey before 4 a.m. from Florida to travel to Selma.

“We thought everything President Obama said was awesome,” Carol Roscoe Courtland said. “With everything he said it was very timely and it really hit home. The way he delivered his words was very moving and it was something that a lot of people benefited from hearing. I know he probably hit on some nerves of some people, but he is the president, he can hit on all the nerves he wants to.”

Courtland said it was important for the group to make the trip because of the special anniversary.

“We wouldn’t have missed it,” Courtland said. “We truly wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

The group traveled with the Commission’s President Rodney Long and members Mike Powell, Dyonne McGraw and Mya McGraw.

Arthur Ndaba, originally from Kenya, made the trip to Selma from Birmingham and fought traffic to make the event.

“We waited in the car for a while because traffic was pretty rough but we were happy to have finally made it,” Ndaba said.

Ndaba said one of the enjoyable moments for him was when Obama referenced a portion of scripture from Isaiah.

“I thought the whole speech was just really great,” Ndaba said.

Friends Maggie Nolan Sheffler and Chris Eng traveled from Pennsylvania to take part in the festivities but the event held a different meaning for the two.

“I am an immigrant and came to pay tribute to the people who fought so that I could have the right to vote,” Eng said. “That means so much to me and I thought it would be very fitting to take the trip.”

Sheffler said she considered it a privilege to attend the event after having witnessed the events unfold in the 60s when she was a teenager.

“I remember seeing coverage of the events that happened and it being horrific,” Sheffler said. “I still shudder thinking about it.”

Sheffler and Eng said whenever they heard the word “America” from Obama they would applaud as loud as they could.

“We had quite the time making as much noise as we could,” Sheffler said. “The whole day was really wonderful and we wouldn’t have missed this for the world. Being in the presence of President Obama is inspiring.”

Bettye Adams brought her daughter, Cheniz Adams and grandson, Sajbon Adams, 14, from Atlanta to be a part of history on Saturday.

“I was overjoyed to hear President Barack Obama today,” Cheniz Adams said. “We drove from Atlanta because we wanted to be here in person to experience this.”

Cheniz Adams said it was important to her to bring her grandson to Selma so he could witness a historical event in person.

Sajbon Adams said after hearing Obama’s speech he felt good about himself and was happy he came to Selma.

“Hearing the things he had to say really meant a lot to me,” Sajbon Adams said. “He spoke about a time in history where it would have been really hard to live and he also touched on how far we have come.”

Cheniz Adams said her favorite part of the speech was how Obama addressed all walks of life in the speech.

“He didn’t single out one group of people, he addressed everyone,” Cheniz Adams said.

“I am just sitting here looking at my family and thinking what a privilege it is that a family with three-generations can come to Selma and make these kind of memories,” Bettye Adams said.

Jarrod King and his family also traveled to Selma from Atlanta.

King said he thought it was important for the anniversary to be commemorated.

“It’s just history,” he said. “It’s all a part of history.”

Young people weren’t the only ones that were inspired by Obama’s speech.

Brian Chapman, pastor at Vernal Chapel Baptist Church in Jackson, said he was glad to hear Obama say that while there has been positive change in the United States, there is still work to be done.

“It’s about all of us working together in unity,” Chapman said. “We’re one country.”

Though several speakers addressed the crowd, which stretched for blocks around the foot of the bridge, those in attendance were obviously there to hear from Obama. Cheers went up when his apparent motorcade drove across the bridge, and at each mention of his name.

Most people in the area weren’t able to get close enough to catch a glimpse of the president.

Instead, they were left watching him on a screen erected a block away, or listen as his voice was projected from speakers.

Brenda Hatfield said she was born in Selma but has since moved, and drove over from Houston.

“It was worth it,” she said about the trip. “It’s so surreal to me. Fifty years ago, there was such a tragedy on that bridge, and now we have the first black president here. It just gives you a feeling of…it’s just awesome.”

Like others in attendance, James Blackmon wanted to impress the next generation with the importance of the civil rights movement.

Blackmon’s grandson, Rodney Wells III, took in the scene from atop his grandfather’s shoulders.

Blackmon is more familiar than most with the struggle, as his father is the late Ulysses Blackmon, one of the original “Courageous Eight” that was a driving force behind what would become known as the Bloody Sunday march by inviting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Selma.

“This is a major historical event for my family,” James Blackmon said.

Pilar Murphy, meanwhile, is from Arkansas but has lived in Marion for about three years, she said.

Murphy said she attends Hopewell Baptist Church with the daughter of Jimmie Lee Jackson, a civil rights activist.

Murphy said she saw the movie “Selma” and was moved to attend the anniversary celebration.

“It kind of hit home,” she said. “A lot of people at my church were a part of Bloody Sunday. We wanted to come celebrate this historic event.”