‘Good Trouble Lives On’: July 17 to see protests against Trump in all 50 states over voting rights, racial justice. Here’s what to know

Organizers of the recent “No Kings Day” and “Hands Off” pro-democracy protests against the Trump administration have planned another nationwide day of action, dubbed “Good Trouble Lives On,” for this Thursday, July 17, which will focus on promoting racial justice and voting rights.

The organizers chose this date to commemorate the five-year anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’ passing, a civil rights leader who frequently used the phrase “good trouble,” and famously said, “get in good trouble, necessary trouble and help redeem the soul of America”—meaning, when necessary, one should protest injustice.

Lewis, who served in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 2021 representing Georgia’s 5th congressional district, was a key figure in the civil rights movement, participating in the first mass sit-ins and Freedom Rides. He spoke at the March on Washington in 1963 alongside Martin Luther King Jr. His speech on that August day ended: “‘Wake up America! Wake up!’ For we cannot stop, and we will not and cannot be patient”—a sentiment echoed by many speakers at the many protests this year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the “Good Trouble Lives On” July 17 protests.

What is the ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ July 17 protest?

Nationwide protests in all 50 states are aimed at carrying Lewis’ legacy forward with a flagship event scheduled to take place in Chicago, and key additional events to be held in Atlanta; Washington, D.C.; Annapolis, Maryland; St. Louis; and tentatively San Francisco.

“Good Trouble Lives On: John Lewis National Day of Action is rooted in justice and peace,” Christine Wood and Allison Pulliam, co-directors of Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, one of the main organizers of the event, told Fast Company. “For the past five years, we have fought to protect our civil liberties that generations of marginalized Americans have worked tirelessly to secure.”

“In only his first few months in office, Trump has pulverized that progress, attacking our right to vote, cracking down on free speech and our right to protest, deporting people without due process, cutting crucial programs, and DEI initiatives, defunding live-saving research,” they added.

Who is behind the July 17 protest?

The main organizing groups of the “Good Trouble Lives On” protests are the Transformative Justice Coalition, Black Voters Matter, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, League of Women Voters, the Declaration for American Democracy Coalition, and Mi Familia en Acción, along with a coalition of other groups.

How big is the ‘Good Trouble Lives On’ protest?

“We expect at least several hundred thousand people will attend across the country,” a spokesperson for “Good Trouble Lives On” told Fast Company. As of Wednesday, July 9, some 1,200 events and rallies were already confirmed.

Since Trump took office in January, millions of Americans have taken to the streets and organized rallies across the nation in record numbers from big cities to rural towns, in both blue and red states.

For more information about the July 17 protests and other scheduled events in your area, go here.