The right to vote in the U.S. today is premised on education and information; finally pulling the lever for a candidate on Election Day relies on overcoming intimidation, racist eligibility requirements, and other modes of voter suppression. What about when we actually win the ability to govern ourselves and the state apparatus organizes to systematically undermine that power? Lessons from the Jackson, MS, experience, specifically drawing on forthcoming research from Human Rights Watch.

Presenter Tanya Greene is a widely respected human/civil rights lawyer who has worked for groups including the Southern Center for Human Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), among others. She is currently the U.S. Program Director at Human Rights Watch.