All articles tagged with #mississippi
Thousands gathered in Jackson to demand protections for voting rights after a Supreme Court decision weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act; speakers warned that new redistricting measures in the South threaten Black political power and pledged to resist a return to Jim Crow, with demonstrations expanding from the Old Capitol to the Jackson Convention Complex.
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower-court redistricting order that forced Mississippi to redraw districts to create more Black-majority seats and ended the GOP Senate supermajority, sending the case back to a district court to decide whether private citizens may sue to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act; the decision relies on the Louisiana v. Callais framework and leaves open whether the 2022 maps will be reinstated, with Justice Jackson dissenting on the private-enforcement issue.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a brief order reversing a lower court’s ruling that Mississippi lawmakers diluted Black voting strength in the state’s legislative redistricting and sent the case back for further arguments in light of the Callais decision; the order provided no public reasoning, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole dissenter, and the matter centers on whether private groups can sue under the Voting Rights Act. The prior ruling had ordered special elections, during which Democrats gained one House seat and two Senate seats.
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s finding that Mississippi lawmakers diluted Black voting power in the state’s legislative redistricting and sent the case back for further arguments in light of a recent shift in Voting Rights Act protections; Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. The ruling follows a May 2025 federal panel decision and comes as Mississippi prepares new districts, with last year’s special elections having produced a few Democratic gains.
After a Supreme Court ruling that gutted the Voting Rights Act, Southern Republicans moved quickly to redraw districts, with Mississippi’s Bennie Thompson—its only Black congressman—facing a targeted effort to dilute Black voting power in the second district. Governors and lawmakers across the South have pushed maps to favor GOP majorities, prompting Thompson to warn that Black representation could decline while urging organized resistance and underscoring how the VRA expanded political participation.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves canceled a planned special session to redraw districts after a federal court ruled a majority-Black district was no longer required, while urging lawmakers to redraw legislative, Supreme Court, and congressional maps before the 2027 elections. He also vowed that Rep. Bennie Thompson’s 2nd District—the state's only Black seat—’reign of terror’ will end. Republicans have floated eliminating Thompson’s district amid broader debates over voting-power maps, even as Democrats press for transparency and protections for Black representation. The backdrop includes a 2025 court-ordered redrawing to boost Black voting power and a 2026 Supreme Court ruling weakening Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which could roll back those gains as maps are reconsidered.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves canceled a planned special session to redraw state Supreme Court districts amid ongoing Voting Rights Act litigation and a Fifth Circuit review, signaling that congressional redistricting will be tackled later and potentially before the 2027 statewide elections. The case remains unsettled as parties debate applicable standards in light of the Louisiana v. Callais decision; a House select committee will study redistricting this summer and fall. Reeves noted political pressure from Trump allies to move faster, and suggested Bennie Thompson’s seat could be affected in the future. The timing and method of any redraws remain uncertain, and changes to primaries could complicate immediate action.
Stephen A. Smith defended Lane Kiffin’s controversial remarks about recruiting Black players to Ole Miss, saying the issues are rooted in the Deep South’s racial history and Mississippi’s culture. He argued Kiffin wasn’t lying about his experiences, cited conversations with LSU alumni who confirm families’ hesitation, and expressed hope that Mississippi can move past its reputation while acknowledging the ongoing challenges in the region.
Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy was shot at a concert in Mississippi, underwent surgery and is in stable condition; a return date to football is not yet known. The junior from Oma had a breakout 2025 season with 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns for the Tigers, and Missouri Athletics issued a supportive update with more information to come.
Fourteen tornadoes ripped through central and western Mississippi, damaging about 400 homes and injuring at least 17 people, with Lamar County hit hardest (275 homes damaged, four injured) and Lincoln County reporting 200+ homes damaged and 12 injuries in Wash Trailer Park. MEMA says 15,643 power outages statewide and no deaths yet; several schools closed as Cajun Navy aid is deployed. The storms have weakened but moved east toward the Florida Panhandle and Georgia, with more rain forecast through Friday.
A storm chaser heard a faint meow from the tornado rubble in a Mississippi trailer park, guiding crews to a kitten trapped inside a wall and prompting a dramatic rescue.
A severe weather outbreak in Mississippi produced at least 14 tornadoes, damaging hundreds of homes and knocking out power with multiple injuries reported. A 1-year-old child was missing in Lincoln County, and officials warned of ongoing damage assessments and blocked roads as more storms were expected across the region. No deaths had been confirmed at the time of the report.
Severe storms ripped through parts of Lamar County, Mississippi, spawning multiple tornadoes and causing property damage as crews assess the aftermath.
Mississippi's House will hold a special session to redraw three state Supreme Court districts, meeting in the Old Capitol due to renovations. Critics warn the choice echoes Jim Crow-era disenfranchisement and could dilute Black voting power, as lawmakers navigate post‑Louisiana v. Callais voting‑rights questions and political pressure over district maps.
Two Congolese teens, Israel (18) and Max (15), detained by ICE for visa status violations after transferring schools in Mississippi, were released and returned to their host family in Diamondhead following intervention by U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker. They will pursue reinstating their student status and continue their immigration case, but deportation remains a possibility and legal aid plus community support continues to back their fight.