On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act (VRA) into law, just months after civil rights marchers were brutally attacked in Selma, Alabama. That moment, born out of violence and resistance, changed the course of American democracy. The VRA became a critical tool in combating racial discrimination at the ballot box and expanded access to the vote for millions of Black Americans, especially across the South.
Sixty years later, the legacy of the Voting Rights Act is both undeniable and under attack.
Since the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision gutted key protections in the VRA, states have moved swiftly to redraw voting maps, close polling places, and pass restrictive voting laws. In Alabama, we witnessed firsthand the fight for fair maps in Allen v. Milligan. Just across state lines in Louisiana, the case of Callais v Landry is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, testing whether Black voters will receive the representation they are due.
And in Texas, the fight continues. State legislators have drawn congressional maps that federal judges say intentionally dilute the power of Latino and Black voters, despite Texas gaining more congressional seats due to population growth in those very communities. Legal battles there mirror what’s happening in Alabama and Louisiana: a coordinated effort to undermine the political power of historically marginalized communities.
At Alabama Values, we believe the South is worth fighting for.
We’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with our partners—like Alabama Forward, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, and grassroots organizations across the South—to demand justice in the courts and mobilize our communities. As the state’s communications hub, our role is to uplift these stories, expose systemic voter suppression, and affirm that our democracy must be multiracial, inclusive, and just.
The 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act isn’t just a commemoration. It’s a call to action.
We must protect and expand the right to vote—not just in Alabama, but across the South where our voices are being targeted. That means restoring the full power of the VRA, investing in community-based media, and refusing to let voter suppression go unchecked.
This anniversary is also a reminder: the same spirit that crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965 lives on today in young organizers demanding change. In elders who’ve never missed an election. First-time voters are registering with hope and determination.
We carry their legacy forward.
Join us as we continue the work of protecting democracy in the South. Because 60 years later, the struggle isn’t over, but neither is our commitment.To learn more and stay connected, you can follow us on social media @alavalues