Introduction
In March 1965, following the violent events of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called on religious leaders and clergy to join him in the fight for voting rights and racial justice. Among those who answered the call were four courageous Catholic Sisters from St. Louis: Sister Roberta Schmidt and Sister Rosemary Flanigan of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ), and Sister Antona Ebo and her supervisor from the Franciscan Sisters of Mary.
These women, along with a 50-member delegation organized by the Archdiocese of St. Louis Human Rights Commission, traveled to Selma to stand in solidarity with the African American community. Their journey was made possible by the support of Cardinal Joseph Ritter, a staunch anti-segregationist who had desegregated Catholic schools in St. Louis, and Charles Vatterot, who provided the planes for their travel. (Pictured below in the center)
The Sisters’ Journey to Selma
The Call to Action
After Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965, Dr. King’s plea for religious leaders to join the march reached St. Louis. Monsignor John Doyle, head of the Archdiocesan Human Rights Commission, quickly organized a delegation. Sister Roberta Schmidt, a teacher at Fontbonne College and member of the commission, received the call:
“Msgr. Doyle called that evening… He asked if I could and would I be interested in going to Selma the next morning… And yes, you may bring someone with you.” – Sister Roberta Schmidt
Sister Roberta invited Sister Rosemary Flanigan to join her, and the two received immediate permission from their congregation. Similarly, Sister Antona Ebo and her supervisor S. Eugene Marie Smith, representing the Franciscan Sisters of Mary, joined the delegation. Not without some hesitation from Sister Antona, the only African American Sister to join the march, and the only Sister who was truly aware of the danger of going to Selma.
“If they would beat a white minister to death on the streets of Selma, what are they going to do when I show up?” – Sister Antona Ebo
The March in Selma
The Sisters arrived in Selma on March 10 and participated in the short march, standing alongside civil rights leaders. Their presence, particularly in their religious habits, drew significant attention and symbolized the Catholic Church’s support for racial justice. S. Roberta Schmidt recalls while on the flight, Dick Childress, Dean of the Law School at Washington University, gave some legal advice to the group:
“It turned out that the habit was what got everyone’s attention very quickly, because nuns had not been seen doing anything like that before.” – Sister Antona Ebo
Sister Antona Ebo, the only African American sister in the group, became a focal point for the media. Some even doubted that she was a real nun because of her skin color. When asked why she was there, she replied:
“I am here because I am a Negro, a nun, a Catholic, and because I want to bear witness… I am here today because yesterday I voted in St. Louis.” – Sister Antona Ebo
The sisters marched only a short distance before being stopped by Alabama state troopers, but their presence had already made a lasting impact.
The video above is an interview where S. Antona recounts the time she met with Mayor Smitherman years after the Selma march.
Returning to St. Louis
The KMOX Radio Experience
Upon their return to St. Louis, Sisters Roberta and Rosemary were invited to appear on KMOX’s “Sounding Board” with host Bob Hardy. What was planned as a one-hour segment turned into three hours of live radio, as over 20,000 local and long-distance callers phoned in with questions and comments.
The Sisters’ candid reflections on their experience in Selma sparked a citywide conversation about race, justice, and the role of the Church in social change. Many outraged citizens sent the sisters hate mail and called them to protest their actions. The letter below was sent to the sisters after their appearance on KMOX. The sisters have stated that these kinds of letters were out of the ordinary as most of the mail and telephone calls they received were positive and supportive.
Legacy and Inspiration
While the Sisters returned to their daily lives, their actions left an indelible mark. Sister Rosemary reflected.
“I can remember saying to someone that we felt such solidarity with the Black folks in Selma that I was sure racism was at an end.” – Sister Rosemary Flanigan
Though the struggle for racial justice continued, their participation in the march became a defining moment in the history of the St. Louis Archdiocese and the Catholic Church’s involvement in the civil rights movement.
The Broader Impact of Selma
The Sisters’ participation in Selma marked a turning point for Catholic Sisters in the U.S., leading to greater involvement in social justice movements. As historian Carol Coburn notes:
“Selma signaled the beginning of what were often painful but necessary and powerful transformations.” – Carol K. Coburn
The Sisters’ journey to Selma in March 1965 was just the beginning of a larger story. While their initial march was cut short by Alabama state troopers, their presence galvanized support for the civil rights movement and inspired subsequent marches. On March 21, 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led the historic Selma to Montgomery March, a 54-mile trek that culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This landmark legislation was a direct result of the bravery and determination of those who marched, including the Catholic Sisters who stood in solidarity with the African American community.
The Sisters’ actions in Selma were not just a moment in history—they were a catalyst for change. Their participation challenged the Catholic Church and broader society to confront systemic racism and inequality. Sister Antona Ebo remained a powerful advocate for civil rights throughout her life. S. Antona was a founding member of the National Black Sisters’ Conference and served as its president. In 2014, after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, she visited the site to bear witness once again.
“You are not here to take a superficial picture… You have to raise the rug up and look at what’s under the rug.” – Sister Antona Ebo
The Sisters’ legacy continues to inspire new generations of activists. From the Black Lives Matter movement to ongoing efforts for voting rights and racial equity, their courage reminds us that the fight for justice requires both faith and action. As we reflect on their journey, we are called to carry forward their commitment to equality, dignity, and solidarity.
The road to justice is long, but as the Sisters of Selma showed us, it is a road worth walking.
“If we have to keep talking about keeping the dream alive, then what have we been doing for it still to be a dream?” she said. “Martin was our dreamer; his dream was for his time. Who are our dreamers today? You have to search kind of hard to find people with new dreams appropriate for our time.” – Sister Antona Ebo
To learn more about the ongoing work for justice and unity, visit the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Justice Page. Their commitment to social justice serves as an example of how faith can be lived out in service to the marginalized and in pursuit of a more equitable world.
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