Mississippi Lawmakers to Redistrict at Historic Old Capitol Amid Controversy
Mississippi house to hold redistricting session at site of Jim Crow era capitol
The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
Mississippi lawmakers will convene on May 20, 2023, at the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson for a special session to redraw state supreme court districts. This site, steeped in the state's racist history, has raised concerns among Black legislators about the implications for Black voting strength.
- 01Lawmakers will meet at the Old Capitol Museum, a site of significant racist history, for redistricting.
- 02The decision has sparked backlash from Black legislators who view it as a troubling choice.
- 03Concerns arise over potential dilution of Black voting strength in the redistricting process.
- 04The Old Capitol was historically used to establish Jim Crow laws disenfranchising Black citizens.
- 05Calls for redistricting have been linked to political maneuvers against Democratic Representative Bennie Thompson.
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On May 20, 2023, Mississippi lawmakers will gather at the Old Capitol Museum in Jackson to redraw state supreme court districts, a location with a deeply racist history. The Old Capitol was the site where lawmakers voted to secede from the Union in 1861 and where white supremacist delegates established the 1890 constitution that disenfranchised Black citizens. Jason White, the Republican house speaker, stated that any special session until January 2027 will occur there due to renovations in the current house chamber. This decision has drawn criticism from Democratic legislators, including Kabir Karriem, who expressed that the choice of location is a
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The decision to hold the redistricting session at the Old Capitol may exacerbate feelings of disenfranchisement among Black residents and could lead to legislative changes that further dilute their voting power.
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