Few laws changed America like the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Born from the blood and bravery of the civil-rights movement, it guaranteed that race could no longer decide who voted—or who won.
How it began
- March 7, 1965 – Bloody Sunday: Peaceful marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma were beaten by state troopers.
- March 15, 1965 – President Lyndon B. Johnson: Responding to the outrage, Johnson told Congress, “It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote.”
- August 6, 1965 – The Voting Rights Act becomes law: It banned literacy tests, poll taxes, and other barriers that kept Black Americans from voting.
VRA Section 2 and Section 5—The teeth of the law
- Section 2: Outlaws any voting practice that results in discrimination, even without racist intent.
- Section 5: Required states with long histories of suppression—like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama—to get federal approval (“preclearance”) before changing election laws.
Together, they created the most powerful civil-rights safeguard in American history.
The slow dismantling
- 1980 – City of Mobile v. Bolden: Court limited Section 2 to intentional discrimination. Congress quickly restored it in 1982.
- 2013 – Shelby County v. Holder: Supreme Court struck down the Section 4 coverage formula, effectively ending preclearance. States could now change laws without federal oversight.
- 2021 – Brnovich v. DNC: Court narrowed Section 2, making it harder to prove discrimination in voting rules.
- 2025 – Callais v. Landry (pending): Louisiana case could strip Section 2 of its power in redistricting entirely.
Each ruling chipped away at protections built by Selma’s marchers.
What this means today
If the Court undercuts Section 2, states can redraw maps that dilute Black and minority votes with little chance of reversal. Gerrymandering will deepen, and representation will shrink—especially in states like Louisiana, where one-third of the people are Black but only one seat in Congress might remain majority-Black.
Why this fight still matters
The right to vote was paid for in blood. It should not depend on who sits on the Supreme Court. Every generation must defend it again.
The Voting Rights Act was a promise. Whether that promise lives or dies depends on what we do right now.
Take Action: Email Your Legislators Now
Your voice matters. These lawmakers represent you. Let them know:
“I’m a voter in your district. Keep both Black-majority congressional districts. Don’t rush to dilute our vote.”
📩 Orleans Parish
📩 Jefferson Parish
📩 St. Tammany Parish
📩 St. Bernard Parish
📩 Plaquemines Parish
Suggested Subject Line
From a concerned voter in [Your Parish]: Protect both Black-majority districts.
Suggested Message Body
Dear [Representative/Senator Name],
I urge you to protect both Black-majority congressional districts in Louisiana.
The special session should not be used to reduce representation or rush through maps before the Supreme Court rules.
Our communities deserve fairness, transparency, and equal voice.Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address or Parish]
Economic & Political Analyst — Black Source Media
Langston Price
Economic Analyst • Political Strategist • Sunday Contributor
Langston Price is an economic and political analyst whose Sunday columns for Black Source Media bring data-driven rigor to the questions that matter most for Black Louisiana. He writes at the intersection of economic analysis and political strategy — translating complex legislative, legal, and market forces into plain language that reveals who benefits, who loses, and why.
His analysis of Louisiana’s congressional redistricting in the wake of Louisiana v. Callais — examining the 5-1 vs. 6-0 map scenarios and their political consequences for Black communities in New Orleans and Baton Rouge — established Black Source Media as one of the most credible analytical voices on the 2026 redistricting fight in the state.
Price writes in a tradition that combines academic depth with lived experience, producing work that neither oversimplifies for accessibility nor obscures in jargon. His analysis is for Black Louisianans who want to understand the system as it actually operates — not as it is officially explained.
Selected Articles by Langston Price
Louisiana Redistricting After Callais: Will Black Voters in New Orleans and Baton Rouge Get the Memphis Treatment?
View All Articles by Langston Price at Black Source Media
Langston Price publishes every Sunday at blacksourcemedia.com
