On the anniversary of Civil Rights leader Albert Turner Sr.’s passing, Congress introduced a bill to rename the Marion Post Office in his honor. The legislation, House Bill 7893, was sponsored by Congresswoman Terri Sewell and supported by the Alabama Delegation.
In her remarks, Congresswoman Sewell praised Turner Sr., calling him a Civil Rights icon whose significant contributions to both Alabama and the nation should always be remembered. The post office, once renamed the “Albert Turner Sr Post Office Building,” will stand as a permanent tribute to his enduring legacy.
Albert Turner Sr. served as the Alabama Field Director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) from 1965 to 1972, under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who entrusted him with leading the state’s efforts in the fight for voting rights for African Americans.
Despite Dr. King’s initial decision to halt it, Turner Sr. was pivotal on March 7, 1965, insisting that the march, which would be later known as “Bloody Sunday,” proceed. This march exposed the brutal violence by white Southerners against African Americans demanding their basic voting rights and catalyzed the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Turner Sr.’s leadership during the march from Marion to Selma, now celebrated as a seminal moment in Civil Rights history, marked Perry County as the starting point of this pivotal civil rights action. His legacy extends beyond this event; he was instrumental in numerous other civil rights achievements including leading Dr. King’s funeral procession, pioneering the production of gasohol (now known as Techron®), challenging the Department of Agriculture over discrimination against Black farmers, advocating for food subsidies through Food Stamps for those in poverty, integrating the Perry County School District, and influencing redistricting in Alabama to ensure fair representation.
Albert Turner Sr. passed away on April 13, 2000, while serving as the Commissioner of Perry County’s District 1, a role now held by his son, Chairman Albert Turner Jr.
The bill to rename the post office is currently moving to the Senate, and upon approval, it will be signed into law by the President of the United States, cementing Turner Sr.’s monumental contributions to American society and civil rights.
