Category: Civil Rights Act of 1964

Maryland Passed Its State Voting Rights Act 24 Hours Before the SCOTUS Callais Decision. Will State VRAs Replace the Federal Protections?

Maryland Passed Its State Voting Rights Act 24 Hours Before the SCOTUS Callais Decision.  Will State VRAs Replace the Federal Protections?

Maryland became the 10th state to pass a state voting rights act on April 28th, just 24 hours before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down use of race-concious redistricting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Will state VRA’s offer the same protections to minority voters that the high court’s conservative majority took away?
With SCOTUS Appearing Ready to Strike Down More of the Voting Rights Act in 2026, MLK’s 1957 ‘Give Us the Ballot’ Speech is Still Relevant

With SCOTUS Appearing Ready to Strike Down More of the Voting Rights Act in 2026, MLK’s 1957 ‘Give Us the Ballot’ Speech is Still Relevant

Years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke on the Brown vs. Board of Education decision during the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom at the Lincoln Memorial, May 17th, 1957. As the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to strike down more of the VRA in 2026, his words are still relevant today.

Pro-Voter Groups Respond to State of Louisiana’s Equal Protection Clause Defense in October’s Consequential U.S. Supreme Court Case

We reported that the State of Louisiana shifted its argument in Louisiana vs. Callais, and now claims the protections of Voting Rights Act of 1965 Section 2, are unconstitutional and no longer needed.  In their brief, pro-voter groups point out Louisiana’s maps have already been found to discriminate, so shifting arguments won’t help them.