JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI — Thousands of Mississippians and allies from other southern states gathered at the War Memorial Building auditorium in Jackson to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's decision weakening a provision of the Voting Rights Act that prevents racial discrimination. The rally was led by a coalition that included the People's Advocacy Institute, Mississippi Votes, the Mississippi Poor People's Campaign, One Voice, Fair Fight, Mississippi for a Just World and the NAACP.

Amir Badat, southern states director for Fair Fight Action, said Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act stopped states, counties, and cities from passing redistricting maps that discriminate against Black voters and led to the biggest growth of Black political power since Reconstruction. "And now, the Roberts court has opened the door to the biggest destruction of Black political power since the end of Reconstruction," he said.

Since the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v Callais, southern states have begun redrawing congressional districts in ways that dilute Black political power. Florida Republicans signed a new congressional map shortly after the decision, and Tennessee Republicans eliminated the state's one Black congressional district. Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina and Georgia are moving to redraw their congressional districts.

Mississippi's population is nearly 40% Black. Governor Tate Reeves called a special legislative session for May 20, to be held at the Old Capitol, before reversing his decision. Reeves expects Mississippi to redraw its congressional maps before elections in 2027. In 1890, white supremacist Mississippi legislators met at the Old Capitol and enacted the state constitution implementing the "Mississippi Plan" to disenfranchise Black voters.

Attendees waved signs bearing images of Medgar Evers, the NAACP field secretary of Mississippi who was murdered because of his efforts to secure the vote for Black Mississippians. Other signs read "Protect our vote" and "Jim Crow Must Go." The crowd sang freedom songs popularized by the civil rights movement and participated in call-and-response and prayers that evoked Black church traditions.

Danyelle Holmes, senior social justice organizer for Repairers of the Breach and the Poor People's Campaign, addressed the crowd. "Today we come to serve notice that we will not go back to the days of Jim Crow. We will not go back to 1890. We are a people who will take a stand and fight," she said.

Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones drove six hours from Nashville to attend, and along with student activists from Mississippi for a Just World, helped lead the march through downtown Jackson. Demonstrators walked from the Old Capitol past the state capitol, the governor's mansion, and state and local buildings to the Jackson Convention Complex, where the crowd grew to thousands. "We're not going down without a fight. We may not be a swing state in Mississippi or Tennessee or Alabama, but we'll swing back on you. We'll fight back with everything we have," Jones said.