U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birminghma (left) speaks to a rally at the Alabama Statehouse on May 5, 2026 in Montgomery, Alabama. The rally was a protest against two bills that would allow Alabama to set new primary election dates if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to use maps previously ruled racially discriminatory. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)
As Alabama lawmakers Tuesday pushed forward bills that could reduce the number of Black members of the state’s congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, organized a protest at the Statehouse Tuesday with Democratic state senators and representatives.
Sewell and other speakers at the rally, which drew about 50 people and lasted a little more than an hour, said Black voters in the state deserve their share of representation in Congress and the Legislature.
“It is voter suppression is what it is,” Sewell said in an interview with the media following the rally. “It is diluting the African American vote. We are 27% of the population. There are seven Congressional seats, and we are fighting to keep two of them where African Americans can select candidates of their choice. We deserve to have representation in Congress, and it is not enough to have some representation or no representation; we must have fair representation.”
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The legislation under consideration would allow the state to set new primary dates in a handful of districts if the U.S. Supreme Court allows the state to revert to a congressional map approved in 2023 and a state Senate map approved in 2021. Federal courts have ruled that both maps violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by denying Black voters an opportunity to elect their preferred leaders. Alabama is currently under a court order that prevents it from redrawing its congressional districts until 2030.
Alabama Legislature’s special session draws protests in Montgomery, Birmingham
However, the U.S. Supreme Court significantly weakened the law in Louisiana v. Callais, which was handed down last week. Shortly after the decision came down, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen filed motions with the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to dissolve the 2030 injunction and allow use of the 2021 state Senate map. As of early Tuesday afternoon, the federal courts had not ruled on the motions.
Sewell emceed the rally hours after she moderated a conversation in Birmingham with Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey to discuss the impact of recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais that overturned a congressional map that included two minority-majority districts in Louisiana.
“Although Alabama is under a court order to keep our current maps, on Friday, Gov. (Kay) Ivey called a special session of the Alabama Legislature to revert back to a map that silences our voices, dilutes our power and denies us fair representation,” Sewell said to protestors. “At this moment, elected Republicans are inside working to secure an electoral victory by taking Alabama back to the Jim Crow era.”
Democrats who spoke were unified in their opposition to the special session.
“I told somebody this morning, ‘I don’t care what color boot is on my neck, if I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,’” said Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham. “What is happening in our state, because of our colleagues across the aisle, we are all hurting.”
Others called the special session a waste.
“I know when I came down here this morning, I had to get gas, and it was near $4 a gallon,” said Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa. “They didn’t call a special session for that. There are people who have to drive hours for health care, hospitals closing and they can’t afford to take care of themselves. They didn’t call a special session for that.”
They also invoked the work of previous civil rights icons, like former U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, to motivate people to continue working to increase access to the ballot box.
“This is simply about Black and white and making sure Black people don’t have a seat at the table,” said Rep. Napoleon Bracy, D-Saraland. “That is simply what this is about. How can we make up 27% of the population and you tell us that we can’t have a seat at the table. That is not right. That is not fair.”
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Author: Ralph Chapoco