Civil Rights Leaders March 50 Miles to Montgomery After Voting Rights Act Setback
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 16
Civil Rights Leaders March 50 Miles to Montgomery After Voting Rights Act Setback
7 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 16
Saturday’s march retraced the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery route, with civil rights leaders and supporters gathering on the Edmund Pettus Bridge before heading about 50 miles to the Alabama Capitol.
The mobilization answered last month’s Supreme Court decision weakening the Voting Rights Act, which opened the way for Southern lawmakers to redraw congressional maps and remove majority-Black districts.
Organizers cast the daylong event less as a protest than a recommitment ceremony, saying participants came in mourning, outrage and resolve to defend Black political representation.
The return to Selma underscored how a site central to the violence that helped spur the 1965 Voting Rights Act has again become a focal point as new legal setbacks reshape voting rights battles.
The Supreme Court has altered voting rights law. What does this mean for the future of representation across the American South?
As Alabama plans a confusing 'double primary,' how can voters ensure their voices are actually heard and their ballots will count?
After Callais: How the 2026 Supreme Court Ruling Sparked a New Battle for Voting Rights and Minority Representation in the South
Overview
The Supreme Court's decision in Louisiana v. Callais on April 29, 2026, significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act and triggered a wave of action across the South. Republican-led states quickly moved to redraw congressional maps, aiming to eliminate majority-Black districts and dilute minority voting power. This led to a National Day of Action in Selma and Montgomery, echoing the historic civil rights marches. Civil rights organizations responded with grassroots organizing, legal challenges, and advocacy for new federal and state protections. The ruling threatens decades of progress in Black representation and raises urgent concerns about the future of fair democracy in the South.