National Civil Rights Museum Op-Ed Dr. Russ Wigginton, President On April 29, the Supreme Court of the United States did what it has been seeking to do for over a decade. It diluted the integrity of the Voting Rights Act without technically saying so. In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Samuel Alito in Louisiana v. Callais, the Court effectively rendered […]
Tag: Voting Rights
Follow the fight for the ballot, from the 1965 Voting Rights Act to the battles over access today. These posts trace how the right to vote was won, weakened, and defended across six decades. The ballot remains contested ground, and this history explains why.
Museum Statement on the Passing of Bernard Lafayette, Jr.
MUSEUM STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF BERNARD LAFAYETTE, JR. Key Civil Rights Strategist, Organizer, and 2012 Freedom Award Honoree left an imprint on the Museum The National Civil Rights Museum mourns the passing of Rev. Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr., one of the most influential strategists and organizers of the modern Civil Rights Movement and a […]
Sixty Years after the Voting Rights Act: The Fight to Protect the Ballot Continues
National Civil Rights Museum Op-Ed Dr. Russ Wigginton, President On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act (VRA), one of the most consequential victories in American history. Nearly a century after the 15th Amendment promised Black men the right to vote, the VRA responded to relentless efforts to deny African […]
Juneteenth and the Unfinished Fight for American Freedom
National Civil Rights Museum Op-Ed Dr. Russ Wigginton, President Juneteenth—June 19, 1865—is more than a date on the calendar. It marks the moment when the last enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas were told they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had legally set them free. That delay wasn’t just a […]
Yes, There Is Voter Suppression in Tennessee. Here’s the Key to Overcoming It
By Dr. Russ Wigginton Guest Columnist Every vote counts, every voice matters, and we must ensure that all Americans — especially young and marginalized people — are fully engaged in the democratic process. As published in The Tennessean, October 15, 2024, 10:26 am CT The right to vote is the cornerstone of democracy, but the […]
Mississippi Burning: From Murder Mayhem to a Mighty Mission
by Ryan M. Jones, Associate Curator Sixty years ago, the state of Mississippi was a hotbed for civil rights. It led the nation in racially motivated violence, and less than 3% of the black population was registered to vote. Following the events of the year 1963, in which Americans were horrified by witnessing the attacks […]
Mississippi Burning: From Murder Mayhem to a Mighty Mission
by Ryan M. Jones, Associate Curator Sixty years ago, the state of Mississippi was a hotbed for civil rights. It led the nation in racially motivated violence, and less than 3% of the black population was registered to vote. Following the events of the year 1963, in which Americans were horrified by witnessing the attacks […]
Stacey Abrams: Champion of Voting Rights Honored at the National Civil Rights Museum
Every year, the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, bestows its prestigious Freedom Award upon individuals who have made significant contributions to the advancement of civil and human rights. In 2023, one of the distinguished honorees is none other than Stacey Abrams, a dedicated advocate for voting rights. Abrams has dedicated her life to […]
A Demonstration that Ignited Change: 60 Years After the 1963 March on Washington
“We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” ? Martin Luther King Jr. Sixty years ago, one of the “greatest demonstrations for freedom in the history of this country” took place on the Washington, DC Mall, according to Dr. Martin Luther […]
Museum Statement on the Passing of Bob Moses
The National Civil Rights Museum mourns the passing of civil rights icon Bob Moses, a visionary leader, innovative educator and champion for voting rights. Moses received the museum’s Freedom Award in 2014. Bob Moses was born Robert Parrish Moses in Harlem, NY. He understood that access to the ballot for the most underserved required educating […]
VOTER SUPPRESSION IS VOTER SUPPRESSION
By Terri Lee Freeman, National Civil Rights Museum President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed into law the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 with the intent of eliminating the legal barriers imposed at the state and local levels to prevent African Americans from exercising their legal right to vote as stated in the 15th Amendment. That amendment […]
Three Lessons from the Election
By Terri Lee Freeman, Museum President Like Everyone in America, I have spent time reflecting on the election. Not just Tuesday, November 8, but the 18 months leading up to Election Day. Three elements of this election have stood out and provide us with an agenda for the future. We have the privilege and […]