President Obama greets 105-year-old Selma, Ala., activist Amelia Boynton Robinson with U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. (Official White House Photo)

President Obama greets 105-year-old Selma, Ala., activist Amelia Boynton Robinson with U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala. (Official White House Photo)

Amelia Boynton Robinson was tear-gassed and nearly beaten to death on "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, Ala. (Photo: Public Domain)

Amelia Boynton Robinson was tear-gassed and nearly beaten to death on “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Ala. (Photo: Public Domain)

Many people are visiting Selma, Ala., this weekend to commemorate the 50th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” when law enforcement officials attacked marchers pushing for voting and other rights.

Local activist Amelia Boynton Robinson, now 105, was among those beaten and left for dead at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, highlighted in the film Selma and singled out by President Obama at this year’s State of the Union Address.

Boynton gets a little irritated when she people say that they stand on the shoulders of individuals like her.

Her response? “Get off my shoulders; do your own work!”

Ella Baker celebrated the efforts of everyday people. (Photo: Creative Commons)

Ella Baker celebrated the efforts of everyday people. (Photo: Creative Commons)

Similarly, the late Ella Baker celebrated the efforts of everyday people. Baker served as a role model of activism, working behind the scenes in myriad ways:

  • Serving a field secretary for the NAACP
  • Helping the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organize the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
  • Mentoring the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

If Baker were still here, she’d ask what we’re doing to make a difference — whether in large or small ways. This weekend is an ideal time to do some soul searching and answer the question with a sustained plan of action.

And studies show that doing good is good for your mind and body!

About Fierce Fridays — Tips for Weekend Well-Being

We each cherish those precious days off at the end of the week, but increasingly those of us who are charter members of the sisterhood of the stressed and overworked are losing our Saturday and Sunday leisure time to weekend work and domestic duties. 

To make sure that you do something every weekend that’s just for you, we’ll be sharing a little advice to make those 48 hours a great time to recharge your batteries, bring a little good news into your life, or discover a quick and easy way to improve your health.