Let Them March: Why Some Black Folks Are Saying Nah to the April 5th Protest
As the “Hands Off” protests unfold across the nation, a growing number of Black people are choosing not to participate.
Today, streets across the United States—including more than a dozen in the South—will fill with chants, signs, and protestors demanding action. The “Hands Off” movement, organized by a coalition of nearly 200 progressive groups including Third Act, Move On, Women’s March, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and Democratic Socialists of America, is calling for nationwide resistance to the return of Donald Trump, Elon Musk’s rising influence, and what they see as the rapid unraveling of democracy.
But despite the call to unify, many Black Americans are making a different kind of statement — they’re not going.
Their decision has stirred debate, sparked backlash, and inspired a wave of commentary on social media. Some have called the refusal “divisive” or “irresponsible.” But for many Black folks—especially in the South—the refusal to march on April 5 is a boundary. A protest against always having to protest.
Black People Have Carried Enough
While rallies are scheduled in Southern cities like Montgomery, Baton Rouge, Tallahassee, Atlanta, and Richmond, some Black Southerners are making it clear: this time, the streets might be full—but they won’t be there.
And that matters because the South holds the largest share of the country’s Black population. According to the Brookings Institution, 57% of Black Americans live in the South — a region that has long been the cradle of Black resistance—from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the sit-ins of Greensboro to the Black Lives Matter marches that shook cities like Atlanta, Jackson, and Louisville.
Black people have always shown up, even when the issues weren’t specific to them. But April 5 is different. This time, some Black folks are only showing up for themselves.
And that same sentiment has been further amplified online.
“Black folks, sit this one out. White folks voted for this mess,” one user wrote on Twitter. — “I did my part by marching to the voting booth on November 5th. Whatever y’all got going on on April 5th is not my business,” another commenter said.
“Not This Time, Not for Me”: The South Weighs In
Dejon Campbell, a senior news reporter and anchor in Macon, Georgia, summed it up in a now-viral TikTok. Responding to criticism that Black people are “dividing the movement” by opting out.
“So apparently there is this Hands Off protest… and there have been a number of Black people who have gone on social media and instructed other Black people to not go,” he said. “And some non-Black and Black folks are responding saying we’re wrong for that. That we need to be unified.”
He continued: “My response is simple: I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to get a large pizza, a bottle of Hennessy, and watch Insecure.”
Then came the line that’s since been echoed across timelines: “Not this time. Not for me.”
Campbell made it clear that opting out doesn’t mean giving up. He reminded viewers that Black folks already showed up: “86% of us voted on November 5th. 92% of Black women. Look at how everyone else voted. This time? It’s your turn.”
Refusal as Resistance
For many, today is a shift in what resistance looks like—and who gets to decide when and how it shows up. By choosing to sit out April 5, many Black people are challenging a deeply ingrained expectation: that they will always be the moral compass of the nation, the foot soldiers of freedom, the guaranteed turnout, protest, and voice.
But this time, the voice says: “No.”
Today, some Black folks will be in the streets. Others will be resting, working, tending to their families, or healing.
Both are resistance. But only one is overdue.
13 & South is a new publication covering news, investigative stories, and insights on social justice, policy, and systemic inequities impacting Southern Black communities. I value your insights, and feedback and invite your perspectives to contribute to future issues. Please feel free to contact me here or follow me on my socials! LinkedIn, Twitter, IG, BlueSky, and Threads.
I’m a white woman who voted for Kamala Harris and I’ll be attending a local protest today, but I think it’s inappropriate and wrong for white folks to judge Black folks for wanting to sit this one out. In my opinion, it’s about time white people stood up and did something instead of expecting Black people to carry the weight. Thanks for your message. Take care!
We have been marching for decades . . . let others get a few foot sores.
" Others will be resting, working, tending to their families, or healing.
Both are resistance. But only one is overdue."
Amen to this.