On May 11, 1965, Black citizens in Norfolk, Virginia, organized a mass meeting to demand equal rights and full access to the ballot. This gathering was part of a broader wave of civil rights mobilization following the Selma-to-Montgomery marches and growing national momentum toward the Voting Rights Act. The Norfolk rally reflected a regional movement, as additional conventions were held in Petersburg (June 6), Vicksburg (June 19), Alexandria (August 3), Nashville (August 7–11), Richmond (September 18), Jackson, and Raleigh (September 29–October 3). These meetings galvanized grassroots activism across the South and pressured local and federal leaders to address voter suppression and systemic inequality.
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