The NAACP is calling for Black athletes, alumni and fans to withhold athletic and financial support from public universities within Southern states that are in the process of redistricting following a recent Supreme Court decision.
A 6-3 ruling in “Louisiana vs. Callais” on April 29 weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965, calling voting districts created along racial lines an “unconstitutional gerrymander.”
Critics of the decision have noted that the protections created by the Lyndon Johnson-signed bill have had a vital role in keeping Black voices heard within the country’s elections, better assuring Black candidates are able to win elections.
In the wake of the ruling, multiple Southern states have begun to attempt to redraw election maps.
In response, on Tuesday the NAACP launched a campaign to convince athletes and supporters to boycott major NCAA athletic programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
The organization specifically listed these schools: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee, Texas and Texas A&M.
“Across the South, Black athletes have helped build some of the most profitable college athletic programs in America, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue,” the organization’s website reads. “At the same time, several southern state governments are moving to limit, reduce, weaken, or erase Black voting representation by creating new, unconstitutional voting districts.
“You can’t have one without the other. Profiting off of Black athletes while suppressing their vote is out of bounds.”
The organization also called for athletes and financial backers to throw their support behind Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as opposed to the major public universities within those states.
HBCUs in the affected areas that the NAACP listed are Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Florida A&M, Fort Valley State, Savannah State, Albany State, Southern, Grambling State, Jackson State, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State, South Carolina State, Tennessee State, Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M.
