The Selma Massacre
is an Alternate History work published on AlternateHistory.com. While started by Meshakhad (author of To a Place You Do Not Know and Judea Rising), others have joined in.
Told almost exclusively in news bulletins and transcripts of recordings, the story begins when Alabama state troopers open fire on the first Selma-Montgomery march, killing dozens, including Martin Luther King Jr.. What results is a far more militarized civil rights movement and an equal pushback, bringing the southern United States into chaos.
Tropes in this story:
- Anyone Can Die: So far, Martin Luther King Jr (whose early death kicks off everything), Muhammad Ali, President Johnson, and George Wallace have kicked the bucket.
- Determinator: The more militarized civil rights movement does away with "We Shall Overcome" in favor of a new motto: "By Any Means Necessary."
- Doorstopper: Despite its format, it's nonetheless a lengthy and detailed story.
- Everyone Has Standards: For one thing, one of the story's tags is "Texas is the sane one".
- For Want Of A Nail
- The pop culture of the 60s and beyond is radically changed because of the backlash towards the South.
- Star Trek: The Original Series adapts out African-American Nyota Uhura and replaces her the Japanese Ami Mizuki.
- Green Acres is set in a fictional New England Town instead of a rural town.
- Meanwhile, The Vietnam War is still going on, but due to the chaos in the South, the US isn't as involved. As a result, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines are playing a bigger role instead.
- The pop culture of the 60s and beyond is radically changed because of the backlash towards the South.
- From Bad to Worse: The defining trait of this whole story.
- The Klan: They play a major role. Many Southern municipalities, along with the entire state of Louisiana, have deputized them. Then President Johnson declares them a terrorist organization, earning him their wrath.
- Red Scare: One of the major claims of the segregationists is that the civil rights movement is a Communist plot.
- Right-Wing Militia Fanatic: The KKK and other affiliated persons are not afraid to use lethal measures to rid themselves of those pesky civil rights activists.
- The Savage South: Oh dear Lord, yes. Neither side is holding back, requiring military intervention as a result.
- Scrapbook Story: Most of the entries are (short) news bulletins or excerpts from in-universe recordings.
