Black church leaders and activists in Georgia rallied Sunday in a push to get congregants to vote, a longstanding tradition known as "souls to the polls."
A group of cars and a bus with a picture of John Lewis on it formed a caravan in the parking lot of a church outside Atlanta. The Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda organized a prayer before the caravan left for the polling site.
In the wake of new restrictions enacted by the state Legislature, it was important to promote voting in the group.
Comarkco Blackett is a minister atRainbow Baptist. We have to stand together.
State lawmakers almost did away with Sunday voting. Donald Trump lied about voter fraud costing him reelection.
The Sunday voting ban was dropped, but the bill still reduced early voting, banned groups from handing out food and water to voters in line, and made it harder to get a mail ballot.
Georgia's new law was needed to restore confidence in the state's election system, according to Republicans. It was seen by civil rights advocates as an attack on Black voters who helped Democrats win the presidential contest in Georgia in 2020 for the first time in 25 years. They are trying to get more people to vote.
The executive director of the People's Agenda said that they would find a way for people to get around barriers so they could vote.
Several dozen people gathered at a strip mall to encourage people to vote. Georgia has seen an increase in turnout during early voting.
Rhonda Taylor is a leader in the AME Church in Atlanta. We have to keep moving.
The pastor of a church in Atlanta, who is facing reelection in November, attended an event called "souls to the polls" at a church in Atlanta.
The Black church's central role in the fight for justice and freedom in the U.S. is reflected in the song "souls to the polls".
Richardson said that efforts like it are crucial.
He said that it was the cumulative accomplishment of our people that made this an urgent election.
The idea of voting based on race goes back to the civil rights movement. George Lee, a Black Mississippi businessman, was killed by white supremacists in 1955 after he helped nearly 100 Black residents register to vote.
Matthew Delmont said it shows a larger effort in the Black community to get voting rights.
He said that pastors provide logistical support to get people to go to vote.
That's right.
The person reported from Washington.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
