It commemorates and marks the journey of the participants of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches in support of the Voting Rights Act.

[11] The trail then follows U.S. Route 80 to White Hall, where the Lownes Interpretative Center is based.

[2] Markers along the route point out the places where marchers camped, as well as other historic moments from the March, such as the murder of Viola Liuzzo or the place in St Jude's historic district where musicians Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, and Peter, Paul & Mary performed for the marchers.

[2] The Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail has no designated safe path for pedestrians wanting to walk between the two cities.

[9] To commemorate 55 years since the Selma to Montgomery marches, cyclists from over 30 states met in February 2020 to travel the route the marchers walked.