Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and his partners announce the grand opening of the new Freedom Summer National Headquarters in Birmingham to revive the spirit of Freedom Summer 1964 and voting rights, particularly in the Deep South.
The National Action Network new Freedom Summer National Headquarters at 2013 First Avenue North will serve as the central training hub for volunteers who are being deployed to communities across the country. NAN will focus on ten key states where organizing efforts will include voter registration, educating citizens on issues on the ballot, fighting voter suppression and helping people in getting out to the polls in November.
The office opened on July 30 with Rev. Al Sharpton joining Birmingham City Councilor Sheila Tyson, who is also president of the Birmingham NAN Chapter and Beverly Gordon, president of the Eutaw, AL NAN Chapter and other local leaders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Rev. Sharpton also spoke at the historic Sixteenth Street Baptist church which sponsored a community rally on voting rights
The new NAN office comes as voting rights advocates around the country work to undo damage done since the U.S. Supreme Court last year struck down a key provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act in a case that originated in Shelby County, just south of Birmingham. Immediately after that decision, several Southern states passed some of the most restrictive voting rights measures since the ’60s. Others have since instituted voter ID laws.
Despite the limitations, civil rights activists are working to register more voters as well as urging Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act provisions that required some states and jurisdictions to get federal approval before changing voting rules.
National Action Network is looking for local volunteers to help with the Freedom Summer campaign. If you are interested in volunteering or for more information, please visit us at www.NationalActionNetwork.net or contact us at (877)-NAN-HOJ1 (877-626-4651) or FreedomSummer@NationalActionNetwork.net.
