Georgia and the Power of the Vote

Georgia and the Power of the Vote traces the history of Georgia’s enfranchisement and its influence on American politics from 1865 to 2023.

Since Reconstruction, Georgia’s enfranchisement history has captured the nation’s attention. During multiple waves, massive voter registration, mobilization, and suppression efforts were influenced by the pull-pull forces of those wanting to sustain power and those untiringly committed to acquiring it; those hoping to maintain the status quo and those steadfastly determined to disrupt it; and those trying to exercise their right to vote and those trying to suppress it. This historical tug-of-war amongst Georgians has consistently had national implications. The outcome, nevertheless, has shaped national policy, influenced landmark court decisions, ignited social movements, and produced national leaders.

Karcheik Sims-Alvarado, PhD, examines the various ways in which African Americans sought personal, political, and economic freedoms in the United States from 1619 to present day. As an internationally recognized historian, she has worked with the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm, Sweden; Time magazine; Hulu network; the National Park Service and National Park Foundation; the Coretta Scott King Estate; and IPM, the exclusive licensor of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Estate. She is an assistant professor of Africana Studies at Morehouse College.