In this week’s episode of Blavity Town Hall, host Raven examines how Black migration is influencing today’s voting power, representation, and political outcomes — just as states around the country continue to battle over redistricting and gerrymandering.
The episode lands during Black History Month and uses recent legal decisions and migration trends to explore the evolving political geography of Black America. Where Black families live now — and where they’re moving — plays a major role in determining who gets represented and who’s left out.
According to 2023 data from the Pew Research Center, more than half (56%) of Black Americans currently live in the South. Texas has the largest Black population of any state, with more than 4.3 million residents, followed by Florida. This marks a reversal from the Great Migration of the 20th century, when Black Americans moved away from the South in search of opportunity and safety in Northern and Western cities.
Supreme Court rulings and redistricting battles
The episode breaks down recent rulings that affect how voting districts are drawn. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated Texas’s Republican-drawn congressional map, which a lower court had struck down due to evidence of racial gerrymandering. The decision raised questions about whether both parties will be allowed to manipulate district lines equally — or if these tools will be used disproportionately to silence Black and brown voters.
Another case, Tangipa v. Newsom, challenges California’s attempt to counteract partisan redistricting in states like Texas by drawing more favorable maps for Democrats. With a 6-3 conservative majority on the court, many voting rights advocates are watching closely to see how future rulings will impact elections and voter access.
Migration, displacement and representation
The episode also explores how urban displacement and gentrification have redrawn traditional Black political power bases. As housing costs rise in cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, Black families are increasingly relocating to suburbs or returning to the South — often into districts with very different political dynamics.
Texas State Representative Jolanda Jones, a guest on the episode, discusses her role in resisting voter suppression and organizing around redistricting. She also reflects on the 2021 quorum break by Texas Democrats, who left the state to protest voting laws they argued would disproportionately affect Black and brown voters.
Also featured is author Philip McHarris, who draws connections between redistricting and broader systems of surveillance, policing, and neighborhood investment — emphasizing that political lines often mirror patterns of over-policing and under-resourcing.
As Blavity Town Hall points out, the migration patterns of Black Americans continue to shape the country’s political landscape. The question now is whether the maps will catch up.