#NNPA BlackPress

High Court Weighs Decision That Could Silence Black Voters Nationwide

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in a case that could decide the future of voting rights in America.

Published

11 months ago

October 15, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments today in a case that could decide the future of voting rights in America. At the heart of Louisiana v. Callais is whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bars racial discrimination in voting, remains constitutional. The outcome could strip away one of the last remaining protections for Black voters since the Civil Rights Movement and embolden efforts already underway in states like North Carolina, where Republicans are pushing new gerrymandered maps that would silence voters and cement partisan control.

Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have been accused of betraying the very communities they were elected to serve. Their proposed maps would diminish the influence of Black, Latino, and other minority voters while strengthening GOP power. “Rigging the maps to go along with Trump’s scheme to hold onto power represents a new low for North Carolina Republicans, who have already spent cycles redrawing the maps to lock themselves into power,” Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams said. “The GOP’s willingness to silence voters is an extreme betrayal of the North Carolinians who elected them to serve. The DLCC has supported North Carolina Democrats for cycles as they’ve worked to protect voters from the disastrous GOP agenda, and we stand behind them as they stand up against this attack on democracy.”

The timing of North Carolina’s redistricting push is no coincidence. As the Supreme Court hears the Callais case, Louisiana’s attorney general and solicitor general are arguing that the state’s intentional creation of a second majority-Black congressional district violates the Constitution’s Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. They claim the Constitution “sees neither Black voters nor White voters; it sees only American voters,” a statement that voting rights advocates say erases the historical and ongoing racial discrimination that made the Voting Rights Act necessary in the first place.

Chief Justice John Roberts, who wrote the 2023 opinion upholding Section 2, now appears less certain. Observers warn that if Roberts or Justice Brett Kavanaugh changes course, the decision could dismantle Section 2 entirely and allow states to draw maps that silence minority voters with impunity. The Center for American Progress warned that such a ruling could eliminate up to 19 congressional seats protected by the Voting Rights Act and displace nearly one-third of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Lakeisha Steele of FairVote called the erosion of the Voting Rights Act “a negation of the work of those who fought and died for the right to vote.” She recounted her family’s experiences in Mississippi under Jim Crow, where poll taxes and intimidation barred Black citizens from voting, and warned that the current assault on the Act threatens to undo generations of struggle for equality.

Meanwhile, the DLCC has launched DemsOnRedistricting.com to fund efforts across battleground states to fight back against the GOP’s gerrymanders. For Democrats, the battle is not just about maps or elections but about the very foundation of democracy. “The question now is whether America will remain a representative democracy and who will be allowed to participate in it,” Steele said. “The future of our representative democracy depends on it.”

Stacy M. Brown

Posts by Stacy M. Brown

Up Next

Congressional Black Caucus Sounds Alarm as Right-Leaning Supreme Court Debates Louisiana Voting Rights Case

Don't Miss

The Jackson Legacy: A House Divided by Wealth and Whiteness

Stacy M. Brown

Click to comment

#NNPA BlackPress

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”
The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.

The post The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.” appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts

Is your home EV charging setup ready? Dealerships may not warn you about critical outlet and circuit needs. Find out before you plug in!
The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Dealerships won’t tell you: charging this big battery at home isn’t always simple. Verify your outlet capacity, circuit, and setup before assuming level one or basic outdoor outlets will suffice.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/A9Cd2SspoaQ

#AutoNetwork

The post EV Home Charging Warning: What Dealerships Won’t Tell You! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts

Don’t get tricked at the dealership! Learn essential car buying secrets to secure the best deal and avoid hidden traps.
The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Oakland Post

Before stepping into a dealership, secure bank pre-approval for your financing rate. Then, get the out-the-door price in writing. Never discuss monthly payments until that number is fixed. Test road noise and rear visibility yourself. Decline add-ons with a simple ‘Not today’. Check backseat space with your tallest household member.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/maAOBjO1puY

#AutoNetwork

The post Car Buying Secrets: Dealership Traps & How to Avoid Them #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.