PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Barbara Arnwine, Executive Director Emerita of the Lawyers’
Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Anne Lewis, partner
at Strickland, Brockington and Lewis and General Counsel of
the Republican Party of Georgia; and Jason Carter, partner
at Bondurant Mixon and Elmore and former Democratic State
Senator. The panel was moderated by esteemed CNN News
Anchor Fredricka Whitfield. The panel discussed the legal
implications and effects of the United States Supreme Court’s
holding in Shelby County on the current state of voting rights.
In its landmark 2013 Shelby County ruling, the Court struck
down Section 4, codified at 52 U.S.C.A. § 10303, (the formula
which determines which jurisdictions are covered) on the
grounds that the underlying data was outdated, rendering
inoperable Section 5, codified at 52 U.S.C.A. § 10304 and
referred to as the “Preclearance” provision, which required
that covered jurisdictions submit proposed changes to voting
procedures and practices to the government and demonstrate
that they did not have the purpose or effect of denying or
abridging the right to vote on the grounds of race, color or
membership in a language minority group. Changes such
as the implementation of certain photo identification laws,
the reduction or elimination of early voting, Sunday voting,
same day registration and similar efforts to make voting more
accessible are no longer subject to preclearance.
Many have expressed concerns about the documented
impact of some of these measures on minority participation in
elections. The panel had a thoughtful and robust discussion
about the benefits and burdens of preclearance and efforts
to update the coverage formula with current data and about
the Voting Rights Advancement Act, proposed legislation that
is currently stalled in Congress.
The panel discussion was followed by a truly historic
conversation between Congressman Lewis and Fred Gray,
which was moderated by renowned retired WSB-TV News
Anchor Monica Pearson (formerly Monica Kaufman). One
of the highlights of the evening for many was the discussion
between these two civil rights giants about the historic Selma
to Montgomery marches. Many have seen the movie “Selma”
The Official News Publication of the Atlanta Bar Association
which dramatized the events that led to the passage of the
Act in 1965 and depicted one of the Selma to Montgomery
marches during which Dr. King and the marchers did not
proceed across the Edmond Pettus Bridge but instead
turned back and returned to a church. Fred Gray provided
the context and background for what was not included in
the movie, explaining that Dr. King was obeying a federal
injunction (sought by Mr. Gray and his legal team) while
seeking protection from the federal court for the marchers
in light of recent violence against them. Mr. Gray explained
that the quick response of United States District Court Judge
Frank Johnson, who asked Mr. Gray to control his clients
until the hearing could take place, saved the marchers from
further violence. Judge Johnson immediately ruled