By Michael Tomlin-Crutchfield and Antonesia Wiley
The Alabama State Capitol remains a historically significant yet overlooked landmark in our country.
In the 1800’s, it was home to the Confederacy, a failed secession that ignited a devastating Civil War and cost hundreds of thousands of lives, all in the brutal defense of slavery. In 1965, those same steps leading to its massive white portico were blanketed by courageous protestors who had marched 54 miles from Selma, AL, to demand voting rights for Black Americans.
On May 16, 2026, the grounds of Alabama’s statehouse once again became the epicenter for a new generation of Americans resisting a racist attempt to silence the voices of Black voters. Standing in strong solidarity with a civil rights coalition organized by Black Voters Matter, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, the “All Roads Lead to the South” mobilization issued a historic and familiar call to action. And across the nation, the Urban League Movement answered.
All Roads Lead to the South
Urban League affiliate staff, Young Professionals, and Guild members traveled from Georgia, Kentucky, Alabama, and North Carolina to join over 5,600 attendees in Montgomery. In just three days, Tara Murray, SVP of Policy and Advocacy, led the charge to stand up 82 satellite activations across the country. It was critical to organizers that this historic movement reach as many communities as possible, and these satellite events allowed everyone to take part. By co-leading events in their own cities, our affiliates in Austin, TX, and Hampton Roads, VA, demonstrated a core truth: whether you could make it to Montgomery or not, every voice is necessary in this existential fight for democracy.
NUL Washington Bureau staff Toni Wiley and Blake Paradis spent their weekend on the ground in Montgomery, managing logistics and welcoming Urban Leaguers from across the country. Having been part of the event planning, they were in awe of what could happen in just a few short days when the cause is just, and the people are unified.
Even when hosting a satellite event or traveling directly to Montgomery wasn’t possible, our affiliates did what they could to show up for the Movement and the moment. The Louisville Urban League chartered a bus to Montgomery, the Urban League of Greater Atlanta integrated into the faith leaders’ mobilization in Selma, and the Urban League of Alabama supplied water and provisions for marchers and volunteers. These individual actions, undertaken for the collective good, embody the very spirit of the historic marches and demonstrations that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The result was a resounding message not only to the state lawmakers committed to drawing Black voices out of electoral maps but also to the more than three million supporters watching the livestream worldwide: we are in this fight with every fiber of our being, and we will not stop until we win.
And this is just the beginning.
A Summer of Action
The movement is growing, the momentum is palpable, and our voices are growing louder. As we prepare for our Annual Conference in Nashville this July, our Washington Bureau team is leading the charge to keep our affiliates and our national office connected to the next steps of this “Summer of Action”. This means more rallies, larger events, and sustained, unrelenting pressure on elected officials who stand in the way of preserving our Democracy and civil rights.
The National Urban League was founded to ensure that Black Americans have equal access to the same resources and liberties outlined in the Constitution. For over a century, we have filled in the gaps where our country has fallen short of those promises, and today, that means fiercely defending the right to vote and have fair representation.
As our Urban League rally speakers, Urban League of Alabama President & CEO William Barnes and National Urban League Young Professionals President Tyler Litt, so aptly demonstrated, this summer will be a testament to multigenerational leadership in action. Seeing these two leaders take the stage is a reminder that the torch of advocacy is not being passed; it is being held high together. This ensures that we aren’t just protecting the ground we have won but also breaking into new territory to achieve a level of equity, rights, and liberty far beyond what even our forefathers could have dreamed of.
What You Can Do
History reminds us that achieving justice is never easy. This is a collective fight, and it demands a collective movement.
The Louisiana v. Callais Supreme Court decision and the redistricting blitz across the South are signs that the foundations of systemic oppression are cracking. And our opposition is afraid of what we are capable of when we work together.
Now is not the time to stand on the sidelines. Stay connected to this work on the All Roads Lead to the South website. Sign up to host a Satellite Activation in your city. Follow us on social at @naturbanleague to find out where we are headed next and where you can tap in. And if you’re looking for get-out-the-vote volunteer opportunities, visit us at reclaimyourvote.org today.
Let’s win this fight together.