Team Fair Fight strongly believes that Black history is American history. During February, and throughout the year, we strive to honor the rich culture, resilience, and enduring legacy of the Black community.

One of the key elements of the Civil Rights Movement was the fight for voting rights. During the Jim Crow era, literacy tests, poll taxes, and violent intimidation prevented Black people from exercising their right to vote, especially in Southern states. White lawmakers were desperate to stop communities they viewed as undesirable voting blocs from wielding power at the ballot box.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a hard-fought victory owed to years of tireless activism and unyielding bravery by Civil Rights leaders determined to put an end to Jim Crow voter suppression and the centuries-long disenfranchisement of Black voters in the United States. Take a moment to recognize the trailblazers who fought for justice and freedom, and who helped pave the way to make real the promises of democracy.

Congressman John Lewis represented Georgia's 5th congressional district from 1987 until his death in 2020. He was a major force in the Civil Rights Movement, as a Freedom Rider, chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and one of the organizers of the March on Washington. His tireless commitment to ending racial segregation helped pave the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and we continue to make good trouble in his honor.

Fannie Lou Hamer spent her career fighting back against systemic racism present in elections. After facing violence and intimidation as barriers to voting, she helped form the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and pushed for greater racial equality in the political process. She was a key organizer of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer and helped found the National Women’s Political Caucus, which remains active today.

Born here in Atlanta, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential Civil Rights leaders in the 1950s and 1960s. He was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and a key organizer of the March on Washington, where he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. His activism was based on the tenets of nonviolence and civil disobedience, as well as his faith. Throughout his life, he used the power of his pen to inspire Americans to fight for human rights and to advocate for equality — including at the ballot box.

Through mobilization and education, Fair Fight is committed to supporting Black liberation, Black voters’ access to the ballot, and ensuring everyone’s vote counts. Your support today helps us combat the suppression and centuries-long disenfranchisement of Black voters in the United States as we work to ensure every voter’s voice is heard.

Happy Black History Month!

Team Fair Fight