Mississippi has one of the nation’s highest percentage of Black state legislators.

That should not be a surprise since Mississippi has the highest percentage of Black people of any state in the nation.

Despite Missisisppi’s large Black population, without the Voting Rights Act of 1965 the number of African Americans serving in the Mississippi Legislature would be far fewer than it is now. There is no disputing the fact that the Voting Rights Act has resulted in more Black people serving in the Mississippi Legislature and indeed in every level of government in the state – from the local to the national level.

Even with the Voting Rights Act, the number of majority-Black districts in the Mississippi Legislature – about 34% of the 174 seats – is less than the percentage of Black people in

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