Voices from the violent civil rights era see attacks on voting rights as part of ongoing struggle

By GARY FIELDS
Associated Press

People at the epicenter of the fight for voting rights six decades ago are reflecting on the times and their struggles. They’re certain their struggles were worth it. A majority of the Supreme Court seemed to reinforce that view Thursday by siding with Black voters in a racial gerrymandering case from Alabama. The stories from the front lines of history recount tragedies, racism, oppression and ultimately hope. Ten years ago, the Supreme Court halted the Justice Department’s ability to enforce the Voting Rights Act in states and counties with a history of voter suppression. In the Thursday decision, a majority of the court ruled in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case.