Baton Rouge church hosts voting event for 59th anniversary of Voting Rights Act [Video]

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) —  In downtown Baton Rouge, one of the state’s oldest Black churches is calling the community to action.

Wesley United Methodist Church, which has served the Baton Rouge area for 158 years, hosted its “Souls to the Polls” event, commemorating the 59th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

The church, a cornerstone of the community with deep ties to the civil rights movement, used the occasion to remind residents of the ongoing fight for voting rights and the importance of civic engagement.

“The changes in our community are not something distant from us, it is something that affects us in many, many personal ways. We just need to be aware of them,” said Dr. J.C. Richardson.

The event aimed to inspire older and younger generations to remain engaged in the political process, especially when access to voting remains a concern for many.

“You have a …