Lowndes County, Alabama • 1960s

Elzie McGill

Local intimidation & federal enforcement

Role-play summaryWorking with the Lowndes County Christian Movement for Human Rights, I saw how organizing can turn fear into power. I would insist Black citizens deserve equal access to registration and the ballot.

What forces are at play?

In Lowndes County, Black residents were a large share of the population but were effectively shut out of registration and political power through literacy tests, registrar discretion, economic retaliation, and the threat of violence. Organizers had to build enough collective courage and infrastructure for people to attempt registration despite real personal risks.

How can this shape elections?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 changed the balance by giving the federal government stronger tools to challenge discriminatory practices and oversee registration in covered jurisdictions. As Black registration rose, the possibility of electing candidates responsive to Black communities rose with it. This role shows why enforcement can transform not just individual access but the entire local power structure.

Carry these questions into the activity

What rule, barrier, or source of power matters most from this person’s point of view?
Who gains political voice — and who loses it — because of the way the election system works here?