On March 4th, 2024, I stood amongst thousands, marching across the Edmund Pettus Bridge for voting rights.
While some have made this pilgrimage annually, for me, it was the first time. The weekend spent in Selma and Montgomery had been a profound experience. From the haunting echoes of slavery’s legacy in the halls of the Legacy Museum, to the gut-wrenching history etched into the lynching memorial at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, to the poignant reenactment of the Montgomery bus boycott within the walls of the Rosa Parks Museum, and the unassuming pew where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once preached at the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church — each moment provided not only education, but an opportunity for reflection. The struggle for equality and justice is an enduring battle, demanding resolve and resilience.
Dr. King’s words echo everywhere I went: “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
Yet, since the Supreme Court’s gradual dismantling of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, our journey has been fraught with obstacles. State after state has succumbed to the insidious grip of voter suppression laws. Congress must rise to the occasion, reauthorizing and fortifying the Voting Rights Act. Additionally, the passage of the Freedom to Vote Act is imperative to establish a national baseline for voting. We cannot entrust the protection of these rights solely to the states; history has taught us that deep-seated racism, bigotry, and injustice demand federal intervention during critical junctures — and we find ourselves at such a pivotal moment once more.
To effectuate this change, we must secure a pro-democracy federal trifecta — including the White House, House majority, and Senate majority. On January 20, 2025 — Day One of the new administration — which happens to be Martin Luther King Day, the Congress must send the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to the President for signature, so the voting rights of all Americans shall be protected.
Let us unite in our resolve and march forward. Together, we shall prevail.
-Ning Mosberger-Tang (text & photo)