The National Voting Rights Museum in Selma is giving people an opportunity to honor those that played a part in the civil rights movement and the fight for the right to vote.

Instead of holding its annual banquet to pay tribute to members of the museum and living legends of the movement, the museum is holding a fundraiser by selling engraved bricks.

“This year we decided not to do the banquet but to do the engraved bricks,” said Pearlie Walker, museum administrator. “That way they would have something that’s a permanent fixture for this generation and generations to come just to honor them.”

The bricks are $100 each and include a smaller souvenir brick. Walker said the bricks are a way to honor people that played an important role in the movement that don’t receive the recognition they deserve.

“When we do our celebrations throughout the year we can only recognize so many people at a time, so I think this is a way for whoever wants to participate in it, this is a way for them to recognize their loved ones or even if it is someone who is still living,” Walker said.

While many people know the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Amelia Boynton-Robinson, Dr. F.D. Reese and many, many others played a big role in getting the right to vote for everyone, there were also others.

“I think most people feel that they’re not recognized,” Walker said. “We had people that furnished food, clothing, shelter and all of that, and they never get mentioned, so anybody that had a part in it, regardless of what the part was, they can be honored.”

Walker said the project is already under way, and more than 50 bricks have already been engraved and laid.

“It’s going to be an ongoing project. We want to take it probably about 50 to 60 feet. Right now we have 10 feet, and we have laid 56 bricks already,” she said. “We have another order that is coming out probably in another month, but we want to take it as far as we can, just depending on how many people participate.”

Walker said the museum will have a ceremony Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. to show off the bricks and thank those who have already purchased their bricks.

Anyone interested in purchasing a brick can call the museum at (334) 418-0800.