The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin will host a full-day program at the State Capitol on Wednesday, August 6, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 50th anniversary of Section 203, which expanded language access at the polls. With the theme “Voting Rights: The Foundation of Democracy,” the event will honor the landmark civil rights legislation while highlighting current challenges to voting access and calls for Congress to pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
The day will feature legislative visits, Capitol tours, and a postcard-writing campaign urging federal action on voting rights. A noon program will include a Ho-Chunk elder’s land acknowledgment, followed by a keynote from Dianna Wynn, board president of the League of Women Voters of the United States. A 1:15 p.m. press conference will be followed by two workshops: TR Edwards of Law Forward will discuss recent voting rights legislation and the ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion journey, and former judge Gary Glossey will outline current federal voting rights bills and their implications.
Milwaukee artist and activist Niki Johnson’s large-scale portrait series Pillars of Democracy will be on display in the Capitol rotunda. Created from remnants of Shepard Fairey’s 2020 Milwaukee mural, the works reimagine symbolic figures like Lady Liberty and Justice as first-time Wisconsin voters.
Event co-chair and Milwaukee County League board member Karen Nelson said the day is meant to be both reflective and energizing.
“Our freedom must be won and re-won with every single generation,” she said. “This is our generation’s fight… to be sure that we do not lose any more rights than have already been recoiled, and to preserve our democracy.”
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin State Capitol, 2 E. Main St., Madison. More details, including the full agenda, are available at this link.
