NAACP urges athletes to boycott southern US universities over voting rights

The NAACP has launched a campaign called "Out of Bounds," urging Black athletes, their families, alumni, and fans to boycott public universities in seven Southern states. This action is in protest of redistricting efforts in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and South Carolina, which the organization believes dilute Black voting power. The NAACP states these redistricting pushes follow a US Supreme Court ruling that weakened a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, making it harder to challenge maps that diminish minority voting strength. The organization highlights that Black athletes are crucial to the financial success of these universities' athletic programs, generating significant revenue.

The NAACP has launched the "Out of Bounds" campaign, urging Black athletes, families, alumni, and fans to boycott athletic programs at public universities in eight Southern states: Tennessee, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and Georgia. This action is a response to these states drawing new congressional maps that the NAACP believes limit Black voting representation, following a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act. The campaign calls on current and prospective athletes to withhold commitments, question university leadership on voting rights, and consider HBCUs. Non-athletes are encouraged to redirect financial support from targeted programs to HBCUs. The NAACP states this campaign aims to counter the perceived erasure of Black political power.