In May 2026, the Supreme Court allowed Alabama to move forward with redrawing its congressional districts. Courts had previously blocked Republican leaders from using their preferred congressional districts and state legislative maps, saying that they had concentrated Black voters in districts in ways that were “intentionally discriminatory” and lessened their chance of electing a candidate of their choice. But immediately after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, Alabama held a special session to redraw maps that could give Republicans an advantage in future elections. We talked to Birmingham’s civil rights foot soldiers in the days following the Supreme Court decision, and they shared the stories behind the movement that eventually led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. #alabama #civilrightsmovement #history #votingrights #redistricting #elections #currentevents