CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN REPRESENTATION IN THE 1990S - AN EXAMPLE FROM ALABAMA

The decennial process Of redrawing US congressional districts in 1991-92 contrasted greatly with that occurring a decade ago. In light of amendments to the Voting Rights Act and court decisions, some traditional redistricting criteria were substantially devalued. After equal population, the criterion of racial or ethnic fairness is now the dominant consideration. This paper uses Alabama, a state not having elected a minority to Congress in over a century, as an example of the far-reaching impact of these changes. it finds the redistricting process was heavily influenced by partisan agendas, racial politics and substantial and continuing confusion over the demands of the Voting Rights Act.