BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Alabama voters will decide whether to remove racist, segregation-era language from the state constitution in the upcoming election.
The Alabama Constitution was approved in 1901 to enshrine white supremacy as state law. The racist language remains in the document today even though courts have long since struck down legalized segregation.
With the nation focused on racial justice because of the police killings of George Floyd and other Black people, state voters are being asked to remove the offensive phrases once and for all. While no organized opposition has emerged, some worry that a conservative backlash against protests over racial injustice could harm chances for passage.
