By Lashley John
A “John Lewis National Day of Action” was held in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, May 8, 2021.
The event showed support for restoring the effectiveness of the Voting Rights Act.
On this day, street activism will join virtual activism, introducing a new concept to engage young voters and “next generation voters” through the use of a “Virtual Voter Activist Village.”
This was the Atlanta segment of a national day of action with similar events being help in many cities throughout the country and broadcast on national television.
In Atlanta, the event was a gathering at the grounds of The King Center followed by a “Votercade” to City Hall. Throughout the country, more than 100 “Votercades” in more than 100 cities, mobilizing the passing of the “For the People Act,” the “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” and D.C. Statehood and to address one of the greatest obstacles to the passage of Civil and Voting Rights – and one of the last vestiges of slavery – the filibuster.
The “John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act” legislation seeks to re-establish election law oversight provided for in the original Voting Rights Act of 1965 of many Southern states – by applying a blanket formula to all states – that was revoked by the Supreme Court with its Shelby v. Holder decision in 2013.
A proclamation from the City of Atlanta was presented by Atlanta Councilman Michael Julian Bond to declare the day as “The John Lewis Day of Action.”
The event was supported by Transformative Justice, Cascade United Methodist Church, The People’s Agenda, Black Leadership Aid for Crisis, National Bar Association Young Lawyers Association, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, When We All Vote, and others.
Last updated on May 10, 2021