Andrew Young Says the Supreme Court Will ‘Go To Hell’ for Weakening the Voting Rights Act

May 1, 2026

Civil rights icon Andrew Young, now 94, who marched alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and helped draft the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, is responding to the Supreme Court's recent decision that further weakened the landmark legislation. Young, who was present when King wept tears of joy watching President Johnson pledge support for voting rights after the brutal Selma attacks, expressed anger at the court's rollback of protections that he risked his life to achieve.

Who is affected

Andrew Young (94-year-old civil rights icon, former Atlanta mayor and UN Ambassador)
Minority voters, elderly, and poor populations whose voting rights are protected by the Voting Rights Act
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. (referenced as historical figure)
Rev. Al Sharpton (commented on the decision)
Black voters and other communities mobilized by the decision
Young's late daughter Lisa Young Alston and deceased friends including Rev. Jesse Jackson, Bernard Lafayette Jr., President Jimmy Carter, Rep. John Lewis, and Rev. C.T. Vivian

What action is being taken

Andrew Young continues working at his office about twice a week
Young preaches every third Sunday at First Congregational Church UCC in Atlanta
Young conducts work through the Andrew Young Foundation supporting food security and economic development
Young is conducting interviews and meetings regarding the Supreme Court decision

Why it matters

The Supreme Court's decision represents a significant weakening of the Voting Rights Act, which many consider the "crown jewel" of the civil rights movement and essential to America becoming a true democracy. The law protects voting rights for minorities, the elderly, and the poor—protections that activists like Young risked their lives, endured violence, and faced jail time to achieve. The decision reverses decades of constitutional progress toward an inclusive society, threatening the foundations of equal voting access that required extraordinary sacrifice during the civil rights movement.

What's next

Young predicts the Supreme Court's decision will backfire and mobilize Black voters and others, stating "that judgment day is Election Day" and expressing his belief that "the more people try to push you back, the faster we will push forward."

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint