Montgomery, AL (7/13/2023) – The Alabama Department of Archives and History’s series history/now returns on Monday, July 17, at 12:00 p.m. CT. Panelists Evan Milligan, Michael Li, and Scotty E. Kirkland will present Allen v. Milligan and Redistricting in Alabama. The program will be held online only. It will be livestreamed on the ADAH’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. Admission is FREE and no advance registration is required.
In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Alabama's congressional districts violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and maintained an injunction that requires Alabama to create an additional majority-minority district. A special session of the Alabama Legislature will convene on July 17 to comply with the ruling and draw new congressional boundaries. In this part 1 of a two-part online program, expert panelists will discuss the background of Allen v. Milligan and what this historic ruling means for Alabamians.
Panelists:
Evan Milligan is the executive director of Alabama Forward, a statewide civic engagement network advancing efforts of nonpartisan organizations throughout Alabama to expand the voter base, protect voting rights, and make election systems as accessible as possible. He is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and the New York University School of Law. He was lead plaintiff in Allen v. Milligan, the topic of the program.
Michael Li serves as senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, where his work focuses on redistricting, voting rights, and elections. Li received his JD from Tulane Law School and an undergraduate degree in history from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a regular writer and commentator on election law issues, appearing on PBS Newshour and NPR, and in publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, and Roll Call.
Scotty E. Kirkland is exhibits, publications, and programs coordinator at the Alabama Department of Archives and History. He is the author of a forthcoming book on politics and race in twentieth-century Mobile and a regular contributor to Alabama Heritage and Business Alabama magazines. He holds degrees in history and political science from Troy University and the University of South Alabama.
The panelists will entertain questions from the online audience following the program. For more information about this program, call or (334) 353-4689 or email alex.colvin@archives.alabama.gov.
The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the state’s government records repository, special collections library and research facility, and is home to the Museum of Alabama, the state history museum. It is located in downtown Montgomery, directly across Washington Avenue from the State Capitol. The Archives and Museum are open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 to 4:30. The EBSCO Research Room is open Tuesday through Friday and the second Saturday of the month from 8:30 to 4:30. To learn more, visit www.archives.alabama.gov or call (334) 242-4364.
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Alabama Department of Archives & History
624 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
www.archives.alabama.gov