Louisiana Civil Rights Groups Rally to Protect the State's Last Majority-Black Congressional District
Photo: Sharon GM via Unsplash
Civil rights organizations and Louisiana voters are preparing for a Day of Action on October 27, 2026, as a federal court considers a motion to dismiss the continuing case Louisiana v. Callais.
The coalition organizing the Day of Action includes the Legal Defense Fund, the ACLU of Louisiana, the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice, Black Voters Matter, and Boots on the Ground.
At the center of the dispute: Louisiana’s only remaining majority-Black congressional district — the 2nd Congressional District, currently represented by Congressman Troy Carter, covering much of New Orleans.
On April 29, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Louisiana v. Callais that the state’s map creating a second majority-Black district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander, holding that the Voting Rights Act did not require the second district under the circumstances.
After that ruling, Louisiana lawmakers approved a new congressional map in May 2026 that eliminated the second majority-Black district — a change that also creates an opportunity for Republicans to win five of Louisiana’s six congressional seats, up from four under the previous map.
Black residents account for roughly one-third of Louisiana’s population, and civil rights advocates warn the ruling substantially narrowed the tools available to address racial vote dilution, particularly in states with long histories of discrimination in voting and political representation.
Why it matters: Congressional boundaries determine which communities vote together, which candidates are accountable to those communities, and how effectively residents translate voting strength into political influence.
The October 27 hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. at the federal courthouse in Shreveport before a three-judge panel. Attorneys, clients, and coalition leaders plan a press conference after the proceedings, then lead participants to a nearby early-voting location — early voting ends statewide October 27 ahead of the November 3 election. Voting rights advocates argue that letting the case proceed could reopen a challenge to the remaining majority-Black district even after the legislature adopted a replacement map.
Reporting by Big Easy Magazine.
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