On ‘Bloody Sunday’ anniversary, US vows to step up civil rights enforcement

The department plans to conduct 38 compliance reviews around 40 different issues this year, officials said.

Yesterday in Selma, Ala., Representative John Lewis of Georgia walked to the middle of the Edmund Pettus Bridge and remembered the “Bloody Sunday’’ attack. Lewis spoke about the beating he and other marchers received during the 1965 march. He then joined about 10,000 in a recreation of the march.

Also yesterday in Washington, President Obama marked the 45th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday’’ by praising the heroes who marched into history that day. The president said that despite all the progress since then, more still needs to be done.

On Saturday, Alabama’s Legislative Black Caucus called on Duncan to cancel an appearance at Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery. Duncan’s office said yesterday that he will meet with students as planned.

State Representative Alvin Holmes said the school and its principal publicly opposed the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the march. Holmes said it was “insulting’’ to King and civil rights protesters that Obama’s top education aide was scheduled to appear at the school.