Meet Marvin and Alan Reese of Selma’s Self- Sacrifice

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marvin and Alan Reese.

Marvin and Alan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Alan: It is because of me, my grandfather wrote the book. I use to see Hosea Williams at the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Al. He would always say, make sure your granddad writes his book because he wasn’t scared like the other local ministers in Selma.

In 2015, I explained to my grandfather that I get tired of seeing his picture in history books without a name. “Well, if you want to do something about it, I will make you in charge of my legacy,” said Dr. Reese. I got in touch with Kathy M. Walters, the co-author and she agreed to help my grandfather write his book. They began working on the autobiography in 2016. The book was completed at the end of 2017. This book includes accounts of his life through his involvement of the Voting Rights Movement.

Has it been a smooth road?
Marvin: As far as the book goes, there were not any struggles. As far as his legacy goes, there has been resistance along the way. One example includes again, his picture in history books with no name.

Alan: The people that have the ability to open the doors for getting his contributions to be put on a national level, refuse to work with us. That resistance will not stop our journey in making sure our grandfather is known. It was because of our grandfather that the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was officially invited to Selma.

Alan: There are people who have taken credit or who have been given credit on a national level for this movement. There are so many Unsung Heroes who were there from the beginning that laid the groundwork which has never been recognized on national levels.

Please tell us more about your work. What do you guys do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
Alan: We have a foundation named The Frederick D. Reese Foundation. It was founded to continue the legacy of my grandfather. The foundation offers scholarships and brings awareness to Muscular Dystrophy. We also participate in Toys for Tots, back to school drives and humanitarian work.

Marvin: We have a Podcast called “The Lineage”. We talk about past history, current issues and how we can move forward. There are a variety of topics covered. You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple and YouTube. We also broadcast live from our Facebook page called The Lineage. We also have an apparel business where we feature merchandise that represents images and quotes of Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Reese.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
We definitely feel like Atlanta is an excellent place for businesses like ours. This city is a great place for entrepreneurs and a great place for networking.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.fdreesefoundation.org
• Email: fdreese1929@gmail.com
• Instagram: @alanmreese
• Facebook: Frederick D Reese Foundation
• Other: www.historyonapparel.com

Image Credit:
Shauna Stuart with Al.com
Q Terry Photograpy
Images from Autobiography

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