May 14, 2026

Monitoring the Midterms: Louisiana’s Redistricting Rush Ignites Debate Over Race and Representation

Ask students: Where are politicians thinking about redrawing congressional maps (which states)? What are the arguments for redrawing congressional maps outlined in this story?

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With its House primary contests off the calendar for now, Louisiana is taking another step to redraw its political battle lines. The move comes after the Supreme Court once again pared back landmark civil rights protections. Once the lines are settled in Louisiana, the impacts will be visible in blue and red, and Black and white. Liz Landers reports for our series, Race Matters.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?

Warm-up Questions

Where are politicians thinking about redrawing congressional maps (which states)?
What are the arguments for redrawing congressional maps outlined in this story?
How will redrawing the boundaries affect Black voters and Black representation in Congress?
Why do some Louisiana residents, particularly Black voters, see efforts to redraw their congressional maps as a step backwards?
Who is Leona Tate?

Essential Questions

Do you agree with Leona Tate that the move to redraw districts is "cheating"? Explain.
Why do you think protesters were chanting "Whose house? Our house!" at the Louisiana State House?

Media literacy: Take a look at the two graphics or data visualizations of Louisiana on the right. What do they show? What do you they make you think? Does it makes a difference that the information is provided in a visual format? Explain.

What Students Can Do

What does the congressional map in your state look? Find your congressional map online using Gerrymandering Project. What score did your state get for gerrymandering? Click on your state. What do you see? Anything you are surprised about? Have there been recent efforts to redraw the maps along partisan lines? Conduct some more research and find out.
Learn more about efforts to desegregate schools in America, starting with the story of Leona Tate and several other young Black students who became the first to desegregate a New Orleans school in 1960. Take a look at the images below. Is there an issue you care about enough so that in 60-70 years, you might also say similar words to Tate: "I just can't believe that it's still happening 66 years later. It's cheating, to me. That's how I feel. It's really cheating. And it's really illegal."

Credit: PBS News Hour screenshot of Leona Tate, civil rights activist, when she was 6-years-old and had enrolled in what had been an all-white school in New Orleans. She and several other young Black students became the first to desegregate a New Orleans school.

Credit: PBS News Hour screenshot
Daily News Lesson: Supreme Court decision weakens the Voting Rights Act
Daily News Lesson: Monitoring the Midterms: Virginia's Supreme Court tosses voter-approved redistricting plan
Daily News Lesson: Monitoring the Midterms: Tennessee’s new congressional map sparks protest

Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

Voting Rights in the United States

This collection of voting rights lesson plans helps educators teach the history, laws, and civic principles that shape voting in the United States.

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PBS News Hour Classroom

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