U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley traveled to Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday, May 16, 2026, as part of a national day of action focused on voting rights, declaring that the fight against what she called a “coordinated assault on Black people” is a fight that impacts all Americans.
Standing alongside members of the Congressional Black Caucus in Montgomery, Rep. Ayanna Pressley said the South remains central to the nation’s ongoing battle over civil rights and democratic access, invoking the legacy of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“All roads lead to the South,” Pressley said in a video shared on Instagram. “As goes the South, so goes the nation.”
The Massachusetts Democrat said the mobilization was designed to confront what she described as growing efforts to undermine voting protections, particularly in Black communities.
Referencing the historic struggle that led to passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, Pressley said the legislation was never solely about Black Americans, but about strengthening democracy for everyone.
“Dr. King reminded us in 1965 that the Voting Rights Act was a victory for Black America, but would enrich the lives of all Americans,” she said. “So this is a fight for all Americans.”
Pressley also sharply criticized the current political climate, accusing the administration of fueling policies and rhetoric harmful to Black communities.
“We’re going to talk about this coordinated assault on Black people,” she said. “This administration has been anti-Blackness on steroids.”
Her remarks came during a broader nationwide mobilization effort led by voting rights advocates, civil rights organizers, clergy members and elected officials seeking renewed federal protections for voting access amid ongoing legal and political battles over election laws across several Southern states.
Montgomery holds deep symbolic significance in the American civil rights movement. The city was the site of the historic Selma-to-Montgomery marches that helped galvanize support for the Voting Rights Act after activists were violently attacked while demanding equal voting access for Black Americans.
Pressley framed her participation in the Alabama event as both a continuation of that legacy and a call for modern-day civic engagement.
“That’s why your sister congresswoman is on the ground to be a part of this call to action in this moment today,” she said.
The event reflects growing concern among civil rights advocates over voter roll purges, redistricting battles, polling place closures and legal challenges to federal voting protections following the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act.
