CHICAGO–Beginning at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Democratic National Convention ceremonial role call, each delegation pledged support for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz.

Alabama’s delegation went second, led by U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, who is running for re-election this November. Following the roll call, Harris called in from her rally in Milwaukee, although she will officially accept the nomination on Thursday, the final day of the convention.

“Kamala Harris will protect the legacy and the progress we have made by our fore-fathers and our fore-mothers and she will advance it,” Sewell said before announcing Alabama’s support for Harris. “She will safeguard our freedom to vote by passing the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”

Emphasizing the critical issues of freedom and democracy that she said are “on the ballot” in November, Sewell opened her roll call speech by referencing Alabama’s civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.”

“Alabama is known to be the birthplace of civil rights and voting rights, and so our legacy is the legacy of foot soldiers who dared to make this country live up to its highest ideals of equality and justice,” Sewell said. “Those are going to be the issues [in November].”

Sewell, the chair of the Alabama delegation, described the opportunity to announce the group’s vote as “an honor.” She explained that Alabama is more than a red state, the day after Republicans, Donald Trump voters and former Trump administration officials spoke at the convention.

“I think oftentimes, because we’re a red state, we’re forgotten,” Sewell said. “I just want to make sure that we are truly represented. We are a diverse state, and I think that you see the diversity in our Alabama delegation.”

One speaker on Tuesday at the DNC was, Kyle Sweetser, a former Donald Trump voter from Alabama. Sweetser cited the effects of the former president’s tariff policy and efforts to “line his own pockets” as the reasons he’ll vote for Harris, who he said will “make us proud to be American again.”

Before the United Center opens for its evening programming each day, the delegations attend various council and caucus meetings held at McCormick Place, seven miles away. Alabama delegation members said they have attended the Women’s Caucus and Youth Council, among others.

Tuesday night ended with a speech from former President Barack Obama. Throughout the first four weeks of the Harris-Walz campaign, comparisons have been made with Obama’s first bid for office.

“This is my sixth convention, [it’s] absolutely electrifying,” Merika Coleman, a state senator and chair of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, told AL.com. “The last time this energy was at this level was in 2008 with Barack Obama. So this convention looks like America — that’s what I’m excited about.”

After two days of speeches, including from President Joe Biden and former First Lady Michelle Obama, delegates spoke of their excitement toward witnessing the “historic” final night of the convention on Thursday.

“We’re all looking forward to the grand finale here when Kamala Harris formally accepts the nomination and those balloons fall from the sky,” Shomari Figures told AL.com after the delegation’s breakfast Wednesday. “Being in the room for that moment is something that we’re looking forward to.”

Figures, an at-large delegate running to represent Alabama’s second Congressional district, is set to address the DNC tomorrow night. On Monday, delegate Jamie Lowe described Figure’s race as “energizing,” and said he hopes the DNC will bring momentum to his campaign.

“We’re also very excited about our role tomorrow and being able to speak to the nation,” Figures said. “Show them that Alabama has a stake in this — we have something to say about what’s happening here in November as well.”

Sofia Abdullina, a Syracuse University senior from Boston studying magazine, news and digital journalism and international relations, and Griffin Uribe Brown, a junior from Chicago studying magazine, news and digital journalism and policy studies, are reporting for AL.com during the Democratic National Convention. They are covering the DNC as part of a program with Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.