A landmark Supreme Court decision in 2023 didn’t just reshape election maps—it resurrected political legacies and brought two historic Black representatives back to Capitol Hill. In a rare victory for voting rights advocates, the Court ordered Alabama and Louisiana to redraw gerrymandered congressional districts, paving the way for the elections of Shomari Figures and Cleo Fields in 2024.
Now, that same precedent is under threat. As the Court reconsiders Louisiana’s map in Louisiana v. Callais, the fragile gains of the civil rights era hang in the balance—and with them, the futures of two lawmakers whose return symbolizes decades of struggle for equitable representation.
Supreme Court Decision Reverses Years of Voter Suppression
The story begins with the 2020 census, which revealed that Black residents made up roughly one-third of both Alabama’s and Louisiana’s populations—yet each state had only one majority-Black congressional district out of seven and six, respectively.
Civil rights groups sued, arguing the maps violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by “packing” Black voters into a single district and “cracking” the rest across Republican strongholds—diluting their collective power.
In June 2023, the Supreme Court stunned observers by siding with plaintiffs in the Alabama case. In a 5–4 ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts—a longtime skeptic of race-conscious remedies—the Court held that states must consider race when redistricting if it’s necessary to ensure minority voters have an equal opportunity to elect their preferred candidates.
“This wasn’t just about lines on a map,” said Janai Nelson, president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. “It was about whether Black communities still matter in our democracy.”
From Courtroom to Capitol: The Comebacks of Figures and Fields
The ripple effect was immediate.
In Alabama, Shomari Figures—a former federal prosecutor and son of civil rights icons—won the newly created majority-Black district, joining Rep. Terri Sewell to make Alabama’s delegation the first in history with two Black representatives.
In Louisiana, Cleo Fields, who last served in Congress from 1993 to 1997, reclaimed his seat after a 27-year absence. His victory in the new diagonal district linking Baton Rouge and Shreveport was made possible only because the Court’s 2023 decision forced lawmakers to draw a second majority-Black district.
Impact of the 2023 Supreme Court Decision
| State | Before 2023 Ruling | After Redistricting | New Black Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1 majority-Black district (out of 7) | 2 majority-Black districts | Shomari Figures (D) |
| Louisiana | 1 majority-Black district (out of 6) | 2 majority-Black districts | Cleo Fields (D) |
Now, a New Threat Looms
Despite the 2023 win, the legal battle isn’t over. In a rare move, the Supreme Court has ordered reargument in the Louisiana case—this time with a broader, more ominous question: “Does the intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violate the 14th or 15th Amendments?”
Legal experts see this as a signal the conservative majority may be preparing to strike down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act—the last major enforcement tool for minority voting rights.
If they do, the consequences could be swift and severe:
- Both Figures’ and Fields’ districts could be dismantled
- Up to a dozen majority-minority seats across the South could vanish
- Republicans could flip enough seats to solidify House control
“Any decision that comes short of reaffirming that precedent could shatter Americans’ faith in the judicial system,” warned former Attorney General Eric Holder.
Why These Two Men Matter
Shomari Figures isn’t just any freshman congressman. His father, a legendary civil rights attorney, fought literacy tests and poll taxes in the 1960s. His mother, Vivian Davis Figures, has served in the Alabama Senate for nearly 30 years. His election closes a generational loop.
Cleo Fields, meanwhile, was one of the youngest members of Congress when first elected. After his original district was eliminated by gerrymandering in the late 1990s, he spent decades in state politics—never giving up on the dream of returning to Washington.
Their stories aren’t anomalies. They’re proof that when courts enforce voting rights, representation follows.
The Stakes in 2026
With a final ruling expected by June 2026, the nation faces a crossroads. Will the Supreme Court uphold its own 2023 precedent and preserve the gains of the civil rights movement? Or will it reverse course and erase the very districts that brought Figures and Fields back to Congress?
As Justice Elena Kagan noted during recent arguments: “This isn’t about the past. It’s about whether minority voters today have an equal shot.”
