He made history in Congress - then the Supreme Court changed its mind

July 18, 2026

In 2024, Shomari Figures became the first Black congressman to represent Tuskegee, Alabama in modern history and quickly secured $1 million in federal funding for a civic center in the impoverished, majority-Black city that lacks basic healthcare facilities. However, a recent Supreme Court ruling weakened the Voting Rights Act, allowing Republican-controlled Southern states to redraw congressional districts and eliminate majority-Black seats. Figures now faces reelection in a newly redrawn white-majority district, putting his seat and the federal support he brought to Tuskegee at risk.

Who is affected

Residents of Tuskegee, Alabama (a city of less than 9,000 people, over 80% African American, with nearly one in three living in poverty)
De'Mari Benham (19-year-old Tuskegee University student who couldn't afford proper medical care)
Shomari Figures (the first Black congressman to represent Tuskegee in modern history)
Tuskegee Fire Department personnel, including Captain Dondrell Hopson and Chief Willie Smith
Mayor Chris Lee of Tuskegee
Black voters across the American South
Minority voters who previously had majority representation in Congress

What action is being taken

Shomari Figures is defending his congressional seat in the November midterm elections under the redrawn district map
Republican-led Southern states are redrawing congressional maps to erase majority-Black districts following the Supreme Court ruling

Why it matters

This situation matters because it demonstrates how changes to voting rights protections can directly impact the daily lives and wellbeing of disadvantaged communities. Tuskegee lacks basic infrastructure like hospitals and proper emergency facilities, and residents depend heavily on federal funding that their representative can secure. The redistricting could shift the balance of power in Congress, affecting President Trump's agenda and potentially depriving communities like Tuskegee of representation that understands and advocates for their specific needs. It also represents a broader weakening of the Voting Rights Act protections that were established to overcome historical discrimination against minority voters.

What's next

Shomari Figures will face voters in November's midterm elections in his newly redrawn, white-majority district.

Read full article from source: BBC