Louisiana lawmakers approved a new congressional map designed to strengthen Republican control by creating a 5-1 GOP advantage in the state’s six U.S. House districts. The plan eliminates one of Louisiana’s two majority-Black congressional districts, prompting Democrats and voting rights advocates to accuse Republicans of racial gerrymandering following a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened protections under the Voting Rights Act.
Tag: U.S. Supreme Court
Posted inPolitics
Justice Department accuses Yale medical school of illegally using race in admissions
The Justice Department has accused Yale University of illegally considering race in admissions to its medical school, alleging Black and Hispanic applicants were admitted at higher rates than White and Asian applicants with stronger academic metrics. The federal agency said Yale’s admissions practices violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and warned it could pursue legal action if the university does not agree to reforms.
Posted inPolitics
Southern states push for redistricting after US Supreme Court ruling on minority districts
Redistricting efforts in South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Louisiana aim to redraw majority-Black congressional districts, impacting minority voters and Republican lawmakers.
Posted inMaryland Government
Maryland leaders request tariff reimbursement following Supreme Court decision
Maryland’s governor, comptroller and treasurer are pressing the White House to repay money they say the state lost after the 48th president’s tariffs drove up costs for businesses and consumers. They point to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the administration’s authority under IEEPA and cite an estimated $4 billion impact in Maryland.
Posted inCommentary
Vulnerable communities left to breathe the consequences as EPA repeals endangerment finding
By Almeta Cooper Nothing brings me more joy than spending time with my beautiful five-month-old grandson. When I am with him, we are in our own special world – the board books, the stuffies, the smiles. I certainly don’t want him to see the dread I am feeling. I work in the climate sector and […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Black Women’s Roundtable announces 15th Annual Women of Power National Summit
The Black Women’s Roundtable will host its 15th Annual Women of Power National Summit March 11–15, 2026, in Arlington, Va., and Washington, D.C. Hundreds of Black women leaders and allies will convene for five days of organizing, policy advocacy, strategy, healing, and collective action to build political, economic, and community power.
Posted inPOLITICS
US president says he’ll raise tariffs to 15 percent after unfavorable Supreme Court ruling
The 47th U.S. president announced plans to raise a newly proposed global tariff to 15 percent, just one day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of his previous import taxes as unconstitutional. Despite the ruling, No. 47 signaled he will pursue alternative legal avenues to continue imposing tariffs, while Democrats criticized the move as harmful to American consumers.
Posted inMaryland Government
Maryland House passes redistricting plan, while Senate vote looks bleak
While the House passed a redistricting plan to reshape Maryland’s congressional districts, Senate President Bill Ferguson signaled the effort is stalled. He argued the “window has closed” as the Senate prioritizes economic and affordability issues.
Posted inNational News
Judge greenlights Purdue-Sackler family’s $7B opioid settlement, opening door to payments for victims
A federal bankruptcy judge said he will approve Purdue Pharma’s revised $7 billion opioid settlement, a deal that would require the Sackler family to give up ownership of the company and contribute billions to governments and victims. The ruling could close a major chapter in nationwide litigation over an opioid crisis tied to more than 900,000 U.S. deaths since 1999.
Posted inWord In Black
Editorial: The right to vote is on trial… again
AFRO CEO and Publisher Frances “Toni” Draper warns that the right to vote is once again under threat as the Supreme Court reviews a case that could weaken the Voting Rights Act. She calls on all Americans to stay vigilant, reminding readers that protecting democracy demands courage, participation, and collective responsibility.
Posted inU.S. Government
A battle over Louisiana’s map could rewrite the future of the Voting Rights Act
The Supreme Court appeared poised this week to weaken one of the nation’s most powerful civil rights protections, as justices weighed whether Louisiana’s creation of a second majority-Black congressional district violates the Constitution. Advocates warn the case could dismantle a cornerstone of the Voting Rights Act, threatening minority representation nationwide.
Posted inCommentary
The war on birthright citizenship is a war on all of us
On May 15, 2025, the Supreme Court will hear a case challenging Oval Office Executive Order 14160, which seeks to revoke birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants—threatening a core protection enshrined in the 14th Amendment. If upheld, the order could dismantle over a century of settled law, redefine citizenship as a privilege, and grant future presidents dangerous new power to unilaterally rewrite constitutional rights.