Organizers planned the march as a peaceful demonstration against Alabama’s racist voting requirements—such as poll taxes—which purposefully disenfranchised millions of Black people. For organizing their neighbors, for making their voices heard and just walking down the street, Alabama police turned the first march into what is now known as “Bloody Sunday.” Police responded to the peaceful demonstration with brutal beatings, sending 17 to the hospital. John Lewis suffered a fractured skull.
Bloody Sunday did not stop John Lewis and the Black activists who marched alongside him—they marched again, not once but twice. Marchers knew the risks; the forces of white supremacy were lined up against them, but as Lewis said, the “vote is precious” and worth fighting for. Their bravery and tenacity eventually pushed Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed racist poll taxes.
In 1963, John Lewis spoke at the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. We cannot accomplish either if we isolate democracy to just the polling place—we also need to ensure that democracy exists in the workplace, so that Black workers can finally bargain for the protections and benefits they deserve. The fight starts with passing the PRO Act.
Erica Smiley is the executive director of Jobs With Justice, a leading worker advocacy organization within the national labor movement. She is the first Black woman to hold the position.
Erin Johansson is the research director of Jobs With Justice, where she leads and manages the organization’s research and analysis on labor and employment issues to inform policymakers and the broader public.
The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.
