The Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district, narrowing a

Added: 2026-05-25

[00:00:00]The Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's second majority black congressional district, narrowing a key provision of the Voting Rights Act.

[00:00:08]In a 6-3 decision, the court's majority concluded the district, drawn to connect Shreveport, Alexandria, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge, relied too heavily on race.

[00:00:19]Louisiana district, represented by Democrat Cleo Fields, had been viewed as a tool to boost black electoral influence.

[00:00:27]The ruling could enable Republican-led states to trim or redraw black and Latino districts that vote Democratic, potentially shifting congressional power.

[00:00:37]Legal experts noted Section 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which protects communities of color from discrimination, faces a higher bar for proving discrimination in redistricting.

[00:00:49]70 of 435 districts are protected.

[00:00:53]Critics, including Reverend Al Sharpton, said the decision undermines civil rights gains, and NAN urged Congress to restore and expand VRA.

[00:01:03]Lawmakers, such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, accused the court of eroding voting rights.