John —
Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues as we marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama to commemorate the anniversary of the marches from Selma to Montgomery, which concluded 57 years ago today.
57 years ago, hundreds of people gathered to march along the miles-long highway to the state capital in Montgomery. These brave leaders stood up and fought to ensure Black Americans could exercise their constitutional right to vote. In the heart of the Deep South – and in the face of Jim Crow – civil rights activists paved the way for the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act.
Their fight was not easy. On March 7th, 1965 – a day known as Bloody Sunday – state troopers brutally attacked the unarmed marchers, leaving many bloodied, injured, and even unconscious. The late civil rights icon John Lewis suffered a skull fracture and was hospitalized for his injuries.
These leaders risked their lives fighting for our right to vote. It was an honor to walk in their footsteps, to celebrate the Voting Rights Act, and to recognize the sacrifices of those who marched before us.
But this fight is far from over. Over the past few years, we’ve seen an outrageous assault on our right to vote – aimed squarely at communities of color.
In Georgia, Texas, and all across the nation, state legislatures have passed “Jim Crow 2.0” laws that are designed to weaken access to the ballot box. And the conservative majority on the Supreme Court, already having dismantled voting rights protections in
Shelby, is poised to strike down critical parts of the Voting Rights Act in the years to come.
John, it’s time to pick up the fight of John Lewis and all of the leaders who marched in Selma – and make it our own. It’s all on the line right now and it’s going to take each and every one of us working together to defend our sacred right to vote.
I’m fighting for voting rights, for our democracy, and for the future of our nation – and I won’t stop fighting until every American has a chance to make their voice heard at the ballot box.
Will you join me?
– Marilyn
