Students Lead Panel with Mayor of Selma, Alabama

It is not every day that students have the opportunity to converse with a sitting mayor of one of America’s most historically significant cities—but this week students in Bishop Walker’s African American Studies class hosted Selma Mayor Johnny "Skip" Moss III as part of a lunch panel. 

Students on the panel each asked Mayor Moss a question, generally focused on his revitalization plans for the city of Selma and how the history of the infamous Bloody Sunday is woven into the fiber of the community. Mayor Moss shared that his plans go beyond tourism. While many people visit the Edmund Pettus Bridge, his focus is on the people who live there—with hopes of bringing more businesses to Selma to expand the job market, increase pay, and grow the population to ensure this is a community where people want to build their futures. 

Even questions from the audience led to some insightful observations from students across grades 6–12. Jacob '31 asked about how the past plays a role in the future development of a community. "In your perspective, should we be looking towards the future, or should we be trying to incorporate the past to acknowledge the history of cities and countries around the world?"  Mayor Moss’ response was firm: "It is important to acknowledge the past because if you don't, history will repeat itself."

Students inquired about the Mayor’s personal story—a journey that started in Selma and transitioned into a career in finance and real estate, and finally back to his roots to serve his hometown. "I love this job," Mayor Moss shared. "I love it because I love the people. That is the thing I get the most joy out of." 

The Mayor’s visit is part of an ongoing partnership between Field and the city of Selma. Each year during Intersession, students in the Civil Rights Journey course travel to Alabama, retracing the footsteps of Civil Rights icons. This year, they presented Mayor Moss with a custom "legacy poster" designed by students in Tim Lane’s Digital Concentration class, which now hangs in his office in Selma. 

For Mayor Moss, this new role as mayor is something that he never imagined for himself. "Some days I wake up and I cannot believe I am the Mayor of Selma," he said. "It is just an amazing opportunity and I am humbled to be able to serve the citizens of a city that raised me—that made me."

Trinity ‘26 said the opportunity to host the mayor at Field was incredibly special. "Getting to see someone in leadership up close and hear what they have to say made me feel like my voice matters too. Seeing him interact with the younger generation and with our school made me realize we could do that too!! Also, having the opportunity to ask him questions and hear the rest of the panel was such a cool opportunity."