"The Old Capitol Museum, where lawmakers will meet, is a site of Mississippi's racist history, having witnessed the state's secession from the union in 1861 to maintain slavery."
"Kabir Karriem, a Democratic state representative, expressed concern over the decision to meet at the Old Capitol, stating that the optics are horrific for 1.2 million Black residents in Mississippi."
"The meeting at the Old Capitol comes after the supreme court's decision in Louisiana v Callais, which weakened section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, raising fears about potential district redrawing."
Mississippi lawmakers are set to convene at the Old Capitol Museum to redraw state supreme court districts due to renovations in the current house chamber. This location is historically significant, as it was where lawmakers voted to secede from the union in 1861. Concerns have been raised about the optics of meeting in a building associated with the state's racist history, particularly among Black legislators. The decision comes amid a backdrop of recent legal changes affecting voting rights and potential district redrawing that may dilute Black voting power.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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