Sheyann Webb Christburg: The Smallest Marcher in Selma

Take a look at images of the young freedom fighter.

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Dr. King and Me - At the tender age of 8, Sheyann Webb's life was forever changed when she met Dr. Martin Luther King. His leadership and words compelled her to disobey her parents and put her young life on the line in the struggle for civil rights. He gave her a passion and a purpose and the need to touch other people's lives as he had touched hers. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick) (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

A Sense of Purpose - Webb frequently disobeyed her parents to participate in civil rights rallies and marches.(Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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A Sense of Purpose - Webb frequently disobeyed her parents to participate in civil rights rallies and marches.(Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

Words to Live and Die For - Despite warnings from her father to "stay from around that church and that mess," Webb was unable to resist the lure of any opportunity to hear King preach at Brown Chapel AME Church. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Words to Live and Die For - Despite warnings from her father to "stay from around that church and that mess," Webb was unable to resist the lure of any opportunity to hear King preach at Brown Chapel AME Church. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

Making Change - "As a child, seeing some of the fear that existed in the hearts of people in the counties and even in the cities [about registering to vote] was amazing to me and made me want to be even more involved," Webb says.(Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Making Change - "As a child, seeing some of the fear that existed in the hearts of people in the counties and even in the cities [about registering to vote] was amazing to me and made me want to be even more involved," Webb says.(Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

In Good Hands - The adults in the movement "saw this sense of courage and determination in me so continued to keep me under their umbrella and care," Webb recalls. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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In Good Hands - The adults in the movement "saw this sense of courage and determination in me so continued to keep me under their umbrella and care," Webb recalls. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Worth the Risk - "I did get spanked a couple of times [for slipping out to protests]," Webb recalls. "Sometimes I'd bring home freedom fighters to avoid a whipping." (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Worth the Risk - "I did get spanked a couple of times [for slipping out to protests]," Webb recalls. "Sometimes I'd bring home freedom fighters to avoid a whipping." (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

Never Forget - Bloody Sunday was extremely traumatic for Webb and a day she'll never forget. "That was the day that I truly understood the meaning of that song, "Oh Freedom," that I often sang with the freedom fighters," she said. "And it was an experience I'll never forget. The picture of Bloody Sunday has never left my heart or my mind." (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Never Forget - Bloody Sunday was extremely traumatic for Webb and a day she'll never forget. "That was the day that I truly understood the meaning of that song, "Oh Freedom," that I often sang with the freedom fighters," she said. "And it was an experience I'll never forget. The picture of Bloody Sunday has never left my heart or my mind." (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

Character Building - "I think that what the movement did for me was to build great character in me and [it] motivated and inspired me to get the best education that I possibly could," Webb says. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)

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Character Building - "I think that what the movement did for me was to build great character in me and [it] motivated and inspired me to get the best education that I possibly could," Webb says. (Photo: Sheyann Webb Christburg via SWG)