National Coalition plans May 16 Day of Action in Alabama after Voting Rights Act overturned

A national coalition of more than 90 civil‑rights, faith, labor and community groups will gather in Alabama on Saturday for a sweeping Day of Action responding to the Supreme Court’s Callais ruling, which struck down the Voting Rights Act.

National Day of Action Alabama Voting Rights Rally

The day will begin at 9 a.m. in Selma m. Faith leaders will gather at the Edmund Pettus Bridge for prayer and remembrance. Organizers say the location remains sacred ground because marchers in 1965 risked their lives to demand voting rights.

They plan to honor that history while confronting what they describe as a rapid rollback of protections that shaped modern American democracy. Southern legislatures have already moved to weaken voting access in the wake of the ruling, acting within days rather than years.

Montgomery Rally to Launch a National Mobilization

At 1 p.m., thousands are expected to rally at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. Organizers call this a long‑term mobilization effort.

They intend to build

• sustained pressure through voter outreach
• direct action
• civic education
• economic strategies and legal advocacy rooted in the tradition of Freedom Summer

Coalition leaders argue that the fight now shifts to states and communities, where new maps and new laws will shape political power. They say the Callais ruling has created an urgent national crisis that demands coordinated response.

Local Actions Planned Nationwide

Organizers also expect solidarity events across the country. These local actions will support state and community groups already resisting gerrymandering and rapid legislative changes in places like Tennessee, Alabama and Louisiana.

A Historic Struggle Renewed

For generations, Black communities fought for political representation, often at great personal cost. Organizers say those victories became law, and that law became power for more than 40 million Black Americans. They argue the Supreme Court’s 6–3 ruling has now dismantled those gains and placed the future of voting rights in jeopardy.

Leaders from Black Voters Matter, a key partner, said the attacks form a coordinated effort to weaken Black political power across the South. They urged communities to meet the moment with collective action.

National Day of Action Alabama Event Details

• Selma: 9:00 a.m. CST — Prayer and remembrance at the Edmund Pettus Bridge
• Montgomery: 1:00 p.m. CST — National rally at the Alabama State Capitol

For more information or to sign up, visit allroadsleadtothesouth.com.