In 1990, an African American was voted into a federal office in Louisiana for the first time since 1874. In 1992, an additional African American was elected. What happened in Louisiana in the 1990s?
In an attempt to answer the question, this paper analyzes the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) and argues that its 1982 amendment triggered many states including Louisiana to create as many black majority districts as possible even at the sacrifice of their compactness. The federal judiciary has ruled recently, however, that racial gerrymandering is contrary to the VRA and to the U. S. Constitution, thereby discrediting most black majority districts. The paper concludes with a discussion of some alternative strategies for black political empowerment.
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