"They May Draw Racist Maps, But We Are the South": Thousands March in Alabama for Voting Rights

A Rally for Voting Rights in Montgomery

Thousands of people from across the country gathered in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday for the All Roads Lead to the South rally. Participants arrived by bus, car, and plane, united by a shared purpose: to protest the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais decision, which significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act and reduced protections against voting discrimination.

The rally took place outside the Alabama state capitol building, in the same plaza where the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches occurred. These nonviolent demonstrations were pivotal in the fight for Black voting rights and are now part of the city’s historical legacy.

Steven L. Reed, the mayor of Montgomery and the first Black person to hold that position, addressed the crowd, saying, “We’re here, Montgomery, not at a stopping point, but at a starting point.” He emphasized the importance of the city’s history and the courage of those who came before them.

The Impact of the Supreme Court Decision

Following the Supreme Court's decision, Republican-led states have moved quickly to redraw their voting maps in ways that diminish Black political power. Tennessee and Florida have already implemented new maps, while Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia are expected to follow suit. Mississippi temporarily halted its redistricting efforts, with the governor pledging to revisit the issue soon.

Voting activists from these states, along with local and national elected officials, including Senators Cory Booker and Raphael Warnock, and Representatives Terri Sewell, Shomari Figures, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, spoke at the event to mobilize and energize attendees.

Charlane Oliver, a Tennessee state senator, highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying, “They may draw some racist maps, but we are the south, this is our south. The south belongs to us. The south got something to say, and we gon’ speak real loud and clear in November.”

A Celebration of Unity and Resistance

Throughout the event, spontaneous chants of “vote, vote, vote” echoed through the crowd. The atmosphere often felt like a worship event, reminiscent of the Black church’s central role in the civil rights movement. The day began with a prayer, and when an attendee had a medical emergency, the emcee asked the crowd to “put their praying hands together.” Multiple gospel songs were performed throughout the day, adding to the spiritual tone of the gathering.

For many attendees, the rally was deeply personal. Their family members had fought for voting rights, and now they saw it as their responsibility to continue the struggle.

Carole Burton, a Montgomery resident, shared her family’s history of activism, saying, “My grandmama, my momma, my mother-in-law – our ancestors did not cross that bridge, walk during the bus boycott, my cousins got locked in the First Baptist Church [in Montgomery], across from the police station in the 60s, my other cousin got beat up by a horse up on Jackson Street – we didn’t do all that for this.”

A Journey from Selma to Montgomery

The day began in Selma with a prayer service at the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church, followed by a silent walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. This site is infamous for the “Bloody Sunday” violence against civil rights marchers in 1965. Those who attended the events in Selma then traveled by bus to Montgomery, where they joined thousands more.

Expanding the Movement

All Roads Lead to the South was not an isolated event. More than 50 satellite events were held across the country for those unable to travel to Alabama. Speakers also emphasized that the fight for voting rights would continue beyond this rally.

Rukia Lumumba, director of the Mississippi VRA Rapid Response Coalition and M4BL Action Fund, said, “Our task is bigger than defending the past. Our task is to build a democracy worthy of the people who bled to create it in the first place.”

The rally served as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for voting rights and the importance of collective action. It brought together individuals from different backgrounds, united by a common goal: to protect and expand the right to vote.

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