What they’ll say about Selma, Montgomery: The South rose again, and it’s Black

This is an opinion column.

What will history say about that sweltering Saturday in May? It was a day defined by thousands of voices gathered in Selma and Montgomery—praying, marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and assembling before the Alabama State House.

A Movement Rises

The crowds arrived to stand against Republican efforts to erode the Voting Rights Act and suppress Black representation. They pushed back against political maneuvering intended to erase the voices of those whose ancestors built this nation with their own blood and toil. This was not just a local gathering; it was a massive cross-section of humanity—Black and white, young and old, able-bodied and those in wheelchairs—drawn from across the country to answer what organizers called an “altar call.”

The assembly took place in the shadow of the first Capitol of the Confederacy, targeting Alabama’s attempt to eliminate two Black Democratic seats using congressional district maps that the Supreme Court previously labeled as racist. It felt like a “Blackish” revival, a moment of profound significance for those who refuse to let the clock turn back on voting rights.

The Future of the Fight

While some Republican officials continue to dismiss these concerns, claiming their redistricting efforts are unrelated to race or voting power, the urgency in Selma and Montgomery told a different story. The ultimate impact of this day is yet to be determined. Will it ignite a firestorm of grassroots voter education and mobilization, or will the momentum fade before the upcoming elections?

Whether this event serves as a firewall for democracy depends on the actions that follow in the coming months, particularly in the lead-up to November and beyond. Regardless of what critics say, the day itself was undeniably momentous. It brought together national and local leaders, community organizers, and everyday citizens under one clear message: Representation belongs to the voters, not the politicians who draw the lines.

A Reclaimed South

Looking back, future observers may describe this as the moment the South rose again—a Black renaissance reclaiming territory in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, and Florida. As U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley stated, the people are the "super-majority."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reinforced this sentiment during the rally, noting that true democracy in America didn't truly take root until the Voting Rights Act of 1964. She urged those from the North to "pull up" to the South, warning that those in power who oppose these movements are merely fearful of a sleeping giant being unleashed. On that sweltering May afternoon, it certainly felt like they had finally been awakened.