St. Paul, MN- Yesterday, the Roberts Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Callais v. Louisiana dismantling Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), the last standing provision of the historic federal civil rights law that outlawed racial discrimination in voting and redistricting.
The Minnesota House United Black Legislators Caucus released the following statement:
“The Voting Rights Act was created to ensure that the voices of Black citizens could be heard in this country. It also prevented the effects of racial discrimination when jurisdictions created maps that would dilute the Black vote and Black representation in government. Yet, in one lifetime the VRA was created and now dismantled by the MAGA movement to silence Black Americans. As a nation, we cannot allow regressive policies to return us to those dark chapters of our history.
“The Trump administration and the conservative majority on the Supreme Court continue to dismiss the lived reality of Black women, churches, and grassroots organizers who have fought—and died—resisting systemic racism. This MAGA-aligned Court is not interpreting the law; it is actively working to silence the voices of Black communities. Stripping Americans of their ability to participate in the democratic process is more than a legal setback; it is an affront to multi-racial democracy and the historic legacy of Black Americans in the country. This ruling threatens the integrity of our collective future.”
In 1964, visionaries like Fannie Lou Hamer, Bob Moses, and Ella Baker founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) to demand a seat at the table and challenge the exclusionary and discriminatory practices of the Democratic Party in Mississippi.
“My grandfather was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta,” said Rep. Cedrick Frazier. “Many of our loved ones and elders are seeing their life’s work being dismantled in real time. When I championed the 'Restore the Vote' Act, it was personal for me to help 55,000 Minnesotans regain their voice at the ballot box. I am committed to working with the UBLC to fight tirelessly to protect the integrity of our voting system and ensure that every citizen has access their fundamental right to vote.”
Members of the House United Black Legislators Caucus are Rep. Mary Frances Clardy (DFL-Mendota Heights) (Chair), Rep. Samakab Hussein ((DFL-Saint Paul) (Chair), Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep. Cedrick Frazier (DFL-New Hope), Rep. Anquam Mahamoud (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep. Mohamud Noor (DFL-Minneapolis), and Rep. Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley (DFL-Brooklyn Park).
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