Our Opinion:We need a real Congressional Map

Published 3:50 pm Wednesday, July 26, 2023

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The Congressional Map approved by Alabama Lawmakers last week has created a lot of negative reaction across the Black Belt Region.

The goal was to create a second majority-Black congressional district, which the Supreme Court strongly recommended. The federal district court ruling held “that Black Alabamians are sufficiently numerous to constitute a voting-age majority in a second congressional district.”

Instead, we’ve got a redrawn map and gave District 2 a 40% black voting population.  U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell’s District 7, remains the only majority-minority district in the state

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We applaud Sewell, Rep. Prince Chestnut and State Senator Robert Stewart, our state leaders who represent Selma and Dallas County on condemning the new map for not creating a district with a high enough percentage to elect a minority congressman.

“I just find it surprising and stunning that I’m still fighting those same fights that my ancestors fought,” Chestnut said on CNN.

Sewell believes the Supreme Court will produce a different outcome.

“This map does not comply with the Supreme Court’s order and is an insult to Black voters across our state,” Sewell said. “ I fully expect that it will be rejected by the courts.”

We really need a map that honors justice, fairness, and the rule of law for black voters in Alabama.