The right to vote is so basic in any democratic nation that it can be hard to believe that until quite recently, not every U.S. citizen age 18 or older enjoyed that right. Many democracies, including the United States, reached the point of universal suffrage only gradually. This week’s destination in the National Park Getaway series of travel articles the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail – honors and tells the story of Americans whose passion for justice achieved a historic and long-overdue expansion of suffrage in our country in the 1960s.

Selma and Montgomery formed two nerve centers in the campaign for African American voting rights that unfolded in Alabama in 1965. Today, the national historic trail that connects the two cities likewise connects contemporary Americans to the men and women whose courage, conviction and suffering won the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965.

This week’s article at www.nps.gov/getaways familiarizes prospective visitors with things to see and do on the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail.

Each week’s article introduces readers to places where they can connect with nature, history, family, and friends. This week’s destination is the 110th to be featured in the series. From www.nps.gov/getaways, you can access an archive of the 109 previous articles. Check out past Getaways for more ideas of where to start exploring your national parks.