This month marks the 50th anniversary of Selma, the day that turned the nation’s attention to the disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South and paved the way for passage of the Voting Rights Act, one of the most important and effective pieces of civil rights legislation ever passed. To commemorate the anniversary, ADL has created resources about…
- The 50th Anniversary of Selma
- ADL’s involvement in Selma in 1965
- Classroom lessons related to the civil rights movement and a new curriculum for high school students.
The 50th anniversary of Selma not only provides a moment to remember the civil rights work of the past, but it also provides an opportunity to support voting rights today. In 2013 in Shelby County v. Holder the U.S. Supreme Court struck down key parts of the Voting Rights Act, essentially gutting the heart of the legislation. Today, ADL is advocating strongly for legislation in Congress that would fix the holes the Supreme Court created in the Voting Rights Act. We encourage everyone to send an email to Congress through our action center alert on voting rights, and to send these ADL resources to friends and colleagues.
To learn more, visit Safeguarding the Right to Vote.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry. Follow us on Twitter: @ADLPhiladelphia