FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2026
Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court severely crippled the Voting Rights Act of 1965 when they targeted a key provision that ensured Black people have political power in the United States. Striking down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana, the decision will not only affect the state’s citizens but also has implications for Black and Brown people across the country. National racial equity organization Race Forward today released the following statement, which can be attributed to its president, Glenn Harris: 

“It is a sad day in America when we are tearing away at landmark legislation that expands voting rights to all people. The U.S. Supreme Court managing to use the Voting Rights Act against the very people it was meant to protect is simply abhorrent. We have not gotten to a race-neutral place in our country where marginalized people are treated justly, so such protections and other policies are still needed.

“Reconstruction after the Civil War is unfinished business, yet the Supreme Court and Congress are striking down key legislation that gave Americans something to be proud of. The Voting Rights Act, affirmative action, DEI and other initiatives to move us to a space where everyone is valued and has access to the same opportunities are being gutted. The foundation for justice and equality is crumbling. What we have now is an effort to reinforce laws and policies that only benefit white men and wealthy people. Our nation is diverse and will only succeed if we acknowledge that there is strength in a multiracial society in which everyone can enjoy its freedoms. History will certainly remember us.

“Now, more than ever, is the time to organize and support communities and organizations that are doing the work to fight against oppression. We’ve overcome worse, and we will overcome again.”

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