What they’ll say about Selma, Montgomery: The South rose again, and it’s Black
What they'll ultimately say about that sweltering Saturday in May depends on what happens next.
Mason Reed 
This is an opinion column.
What will history say about that sweltering Saturday in May? It was a day when hundreds marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and thousands gathered outside the Alabama State House in Montgomery, united against Republican efforts to erode the Voting Rights Act and suppress Black representation.
A Call to Action
The message from the crowd was clear: they refused to go back. From common citizens to elected officials—Black and white, young and seasoned, those walking and those in wheelchairs—people from across the nation answered an "altar call" held just a block away from the first Capitol of the Confederacy. The gathering served as a direct response to Alabama Republicans attempting to use district maps, previously flagged as racist by the Supreme Court, to eliminate Black representation in the state's congressional delegation.
The Stakes of the Movement
While Republican leadership continues to claim their redistricting and gerrymandering efforts ahead of the midterms are unrelated to race or the dilution of Black voting power, the demonstrators were unmoved. Whether this day becomes a catalyst for sustained voter mobilization or a fleeting moment remains to be seen. Its success depends on whether the energy generated on that stage—led by groups like Black Voters Matter—translates into a surge of voter turnout in upcoming elections, from the local level to 2028.
The South Rises
Despite the challenges of organizing such a massive event in less than a week, the moment was undeniable. It was a rare, powerful instance where national, state, and local leaders stood alongside citizens to demand that voters, not politicians, control the power of representation. Many at the event believe this could be remembered as the day the South rose again—a rise led by the Black community. U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley captured the sentiment of the gathering, declaring the movement "the super-majority."
A Sleeping Giant Unleashed
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, speaking from behind protective glass, emphasized that true democracy in America did not exist until the 1964 Voting Rights Act. She urged the North to "pull up" to the South, warning that those currently seeking to reverse democratic progress have "unleashed a sleeping giant." On that hot day in May, the movement for equality proved it was wide awake.
