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The Supreme Court's War on Voting Rights Could Reverse Gains for Black Representation
The expansion of Black political representation over the past half century was the result of deliberate policy choices, sustained advocacy, and legal enforcement. As those protections are weakened, the risk is not just stagnation—it is regression.
May 08, 2026
The United States took a decisive step toward democracy with the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. At the time, Black political representation was not just limited—it was nearly nonexistent. African Americans made up more than 10% of the population but held less than 2% of seats in Congress and none in the Senate.
By dismantling formal barriers to voting, the Voting Rights Act opened the door for Black political participation—and over time, representation. That progress was neither immediate nor inevitable, but it was real.
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The Supreme Court Gutted the Voting Rights Act; Congress Must Act to Restore Democracy
The legislative branch must stop dragging its heels and pass laws to ban partisan gerrymandering, bolster voting rights, and reform the Supreme Court.
May 06, 2026
The Supreme Court’s decision to destroy what remained of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais will take every element of our already broken political system and make it worse. It was not a surprise. But it shocked nonetheless.
What should we do? Boil with fury at the ruling. Scoff at the justices who claim only to call “balls and strikes,” in a game they’ve fixed. But don’t stop there. Yell, loudly, for action by the one part of our government that can do something: Congress.
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