Montgomery Deep History Podcast

Redistricting Again: Louisiana, Alabama, and the New Voting Rights Frontier

Recorded the same day the Supreme Court vacated the injunction protecting Alabama's court-drawn congressional map. A facts-first explainer connecting the Supreme Court's Louisiana redistricting decision (Louisiana v. Callais, April 29, 2026) with Alabama's special session, the May 11, 2026 Supreme Court ruling in Allen v. Caster vacating the injunction that protected Alabama's court-drawn map, ongoing litigation over congressional and State Senate maps, and protests at the Alabama State House. We break down Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the difference between racial and political gerrymandering, what Earl Hilliard — Alabama's first Black congressman since Reconstruction — says about the unintended consequences of the GOP's redistricting push, and what to watch next in Alabama and across the South. This episode publishes on the same day the Supreme Court ruled. Host: Keelan Adams, Montgomery Deep History Tours. SOURCES Primary Legal Documents Allen v. Caster, Nos. 25-243, 25-273, and 25-274 (U.S. May 11, 2026) (per curiam): https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-243_f20h.pdf [https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/25-243_f20h.pdf] Louisiana v. Callais, slip opinion, Justice Alito (April 29, 2026): https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf [https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf] Alabama Emergency Application for Stay (Allen v. Caster / Singleton / Milligan), filed May 8, 2026: https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A1231/408448/20260508152312758_2026.05.08%20-%20Emergency%20Application%20for%20Stay%20-%20Milligan%20FINAL.pdf [https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/25/25A1231/408448/20260508152312758_2026.05.08%20-%20Emergency%20Application%20for%20Stay%20-%20Milligan%20FINAL.pdf] Alabama HB1, 2026 First Special Session: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026SS1/HB1-int.pdf [https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026SS1/HB1-int.pdf] Alabama SB1, 2026 First Special Session: https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026SS1/SB1-int.pdf [https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026SS1/SB1-int.pdf] Alabama Redistricting Project, Allen v. Caster case page: https://thearp.org/litigation/allen-v-caster/ [https://thearp.org/litigation/allen-v-caster/] Caster v. Allen, No. 23-12923, Opposition to Motion for Stay Pending Appeal (Democracy Docket): https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/23-12923_Documents70.pdf [https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/23-12923_Documents70.pdf] Stone v. Allen, Order Denying Motion for Partial Summary Judgment (N.D. Ala., Sept. 24, 2024): https://redistricting.lls.edu/wp-content/uploads/AL-stone-20240924-summ-judg-decision.pdf [https://redistricting.lls.edu/wp-content/uploads/AL-stone-20240924-summ-judg-decision.pdf] Brief for the Federal Respondent, Shelby County v. Holder, No. 12-96 (DOJ, Feb. 2013): https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/02/05/shelbymerits.pdf [https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/crt/legacy/2013/02/05/shelbymerits.pdf] Heritage Foundation, Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise (2023): https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/report/mandate-leadership-the-conservative-promise [https://www.heritage.org/conservatism/report/mandate-leadership-the-conservative-promise] Rep. Chris England, Facebook post on the 2026 special session (May 2, 2026): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cc2TSSMca/ [https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Cc2TSSMca/] Mayor Steven L. Reed, City of Montgomery, statement on the Supreme Court ruling (May 11, 2026): https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1453422223499102&set=a.231492859025384 [https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1453422223499102&set=a.231492859025384] News Reporting Amy Howe, "Court Clears Way for Alabama to Use Congressional Map Blocked by Lower Court as Racially Discriminatory," SCOTUSblog (May 11, 2026): https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/05/court-clears-way-for-alabama-to-use-congressional-map-blocked-by-lower-court-as-racially-discrim/ [https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/05/court-clears-way-for-alabama-to-use-congressional-map-blocked-by-lower-court-as-racially-discrim/] Amy Howe, "Alabama Asks Supreme Court to Clear the Way for It to Use Congressional Map Struck as Diluting Black Votes," SCOTUSblog (May 8, 2026): https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/05/alabama-asks-the-court-to-clear-the-way-for-it-to-use-congressional-map-struck-as-diluting-black/ [https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/05/alabama-asks-the-court-to-clear-the-way-for-it-to-use-congressional-map-struck-as-diluting-black/] Joseph D. Bryant, "Alabama's First Black Congressman Says Redistricting Fight Will Bring Surprising Results," AL.com (May 10, 2026): https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2026/05/alabamas-first-black-congressman-says-redistricting-fight-will-bring-surprising-results.html [https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2026/05/alabamas-first-black-congressman-says-redistricting-fight-will-bring-surprising-results.html] Brian Lyman, "Alabama House Briefly Halts Primary Debate Amid Protests," Alabama Reflector (May 8, 2026): https://alabamareflector.com/2026/05/08/alabama-house-briefly-halts-primary-debate-amid-protests/ [https://alabamareflector.com/2026/05/08/alabama-house-briefly-halts-primary-debate-amid-protests/] Ralph Chapoco, "Alabama Democratic Lawmakers Hold Rally in Opposition to Special Session," News From the States / Alabama Reflector (May 5, 2026): https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/alabama-democratic-lawmakers-hold-rally-opposition-special-session [https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/alabama-democratic-lawmakers-hold-rally-opposition-special-session] Mike Cason and Associated Press, "Southern Republicans Target Black Districts to Gain 13 House Seats," AL.com (May 5, 2026): https://www.al.com/politics/2026/05/southern-republicans-target-black-districts-to-gain-13-house-seats-this-is-the-voice-of-the-people.html [https://www.al.com/politics/2026/05/southern-republicans-target-black-districts-to-gain-13-house-seats-this-is-the-voice-of-the-people.html] CBS News / Associated Press, "Alabama Lawmakers Pass Plan for New House Primary as State Pushes to Redistrict" (May 8, 2026): https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alabama-republicans-look-to-set-new-u-s-house-primaries-if-courts-allow-redistricting/ [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alabama-republicans-look-to-set-new-u-s-house-primaries-if-courts-allow-redistricting/] PBS NewsHour / Associated Press, "Tennessee Lawmakers Pass U.S. House Map Carving Up Majority-Black District in Memphis" (May 7, 2026): https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/tennessee-lawmakers-pass-u-s-house-map-carving-up-majority-black-district-in-memphis [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/tennessee-lawmakers-pass-u-s-house-map-carving-up-majority-black-district-in-memphis] The Hill, "Alabama Asks Supreme Court to Clear Way for Republicans' Redrawn Voting Map" (May 8, 2026): https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5870503-alabama-congressional-map-republicans/ [https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5870503-alabama-congressional-map-republicans/] Alabama Reporter, "Federal Court Tells Alabama Redistricting Fight Now Belongs to Supreme Court" (May 8, 2026): https://www.alreporter.com/2026/05/08/federal-court-tells-alabama-redistricting-fight-now-belongs-to-supreme-court/ [https://www.alreporter.com/2026/05/08/federal-court-tells-alabama-redistricting-fight-now-belongs-to-supreme-court/] WBRC News, "Alabama Redistricting Case Awaits Supreme Court Ruling" (May 9–10, 2026): https://www.wbrc.com/2026/05/10/alabama-redistricting-case-awaits-supreme-court-ruling/ [https://www.wbrc.com/2026/05/10/alabama-redistricting-case-awaits-supreme-court-ruling/] NPR, "Supreme Court Voting Rights: Congressional Black Caucus" (April 30, 2026): https://www.npr.org/2026/04/30/nx-s1-5805050/supreme-court-voting-rights-congressional-black-caucus [https://www.npr.org/2026/04/30/nx-s1-5805050/supreme-court-voting-rights-congressional-black-caucus] Politico, "Supreme Court Voting Rights Act Louisiana" (April 29, 2026): https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/29/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-louisiana-00898123 [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/29/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-louisiana-00898123] The Guardian, "Supreme Court Voting Rights Ruling Explainer" (April 30, 2026): https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/30/supreme-court-voting-rights-ruling-explainer [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/30/supreme-court-voting-rights-ruling-explainer] About Montgomery Deep History Montgomery Deep History is hosted by Keelan Adams, a Montgomery, Alabama–based historian and tour guide. The podcast pairs primary-source storytelling with the same streets, statehouses, and bridges you can walk in person. Book a Tour [https://www.montgomerydeephistory.com/our-tours] Social Media @mgmdeephistory | https://www.facebook.com/mgmdeephistory | https://www.tiktok.com/@mgmdeephistory | https://x.com/MGM_DeepHistory Email montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com [montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com] Sources & Show Notes Every episode is sourced from primary documents, court opinions, and on-the-record reporting. All links appear in the episode show notes. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave a review — it helps new listeners find the show.

#2 After 1968: Freeways, Surveillance, and the Fracturing of Black Institutional Power

What happened to Black communities after the cameras left? This episode traces how freeway construction, federal surveillance, and ongoing housing discrimination converged after 1968—using Montgomery, Alabama as a clear window into a national pattern. Show Notes When people talk about the Civil Rights Movement, they usually talk about the wins—laws passed, speeches made, doors opened. But what happened to Black communities after the cameras left? In this episode, Keelan Adams explores a national overview anchored in Montgomery, Alabama—where the effects of postwar “progress” can be seen in the landscape itself. We look at how interstate construction (I‑65 and I‑85) disrupted Black neighborhoods near Centennial Hill and the Alabama State University area, how federal intelligence efforts monitored Black leadership and political ideology, and how the loss of major leaders contributed to a leadership vacuum in many communities. We also place special emphasis on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final speech at Mason Temple (April 3, 1968), including his call to strengthen Black institutions and use collective economic power—alongside the longer story of Black institutional building from Reconstruction forward, including the work of Charles Octavius Boothe in Montgomery. Finally, we connect these forces to the long-term damage of housing discrimination and redlining—because in America, homeownership has been one of the primary engines of generational wealth. Book a tour: montgomerydeephistory.com/our-tours Contact: montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com [montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com] Sources mentioned: * Eric Avila, The Folklore of the Freeway: Race and Revolt in the Modernist City * Charles Octavius Boothe, The Cyclopedia of the Colored Baptists of Alabama: Their Leaders and Their Work https://archive.org/details/cyclopediaofcolo00boot/page/58/mode/2up [https://archive.org/details/cyclopediaofcolo00boot/page/58/mode/2up] * National Center for Family & Marriage Research (Bowling Green State University): “Marriage in the United States: A Century of Change, 1900–2018” (Family Profiles) https://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/college-of-arts-and-sciences/NCFMR/documents/FP/schweizer-marriage-century-change-1900-2018-fp-20-21.pdf [https://www.bgsu.edu/content/dam/BGSU/college-of-arts-and-sciences/NCFMR/documents/FP/schweizer-marriage-century-change-1900-2018-fp-20-21.pdf] * Richard Rothstein, The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America About Montgomery Deep History Montgomery Deep History is hosted by Keelan Adams, a Montgomery, Alabama–based historian and tour guide. The podcast pairs primary-source storytelling with the same streets, statehouses, and bridges you can walk in person. Book a Tour [https://www.montgomerydeephistory.com/our-tours] Social Media @mgmdeephistory | https://www.facebook.com/mgmdeephistory | https://www.tiktok.com/@mgmdeephistory | https://x.com/MGM_DeepHistory Email montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com [montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com] Sources & Show Notes Every episode is sourced from primary documents, court opinions, and on-the-record reporting. All links appear in the episode show notes. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave a review — it helps new listeners find the show.

Episode 1 (Welcome/Trailer)

Welcome to the Montgomery Deep History Podcast. Hosted by Keelan Adams, this biweekly show explores Montgomery and Alabama history with deep context—what conditions made events possible, what changed afterward, and how the consequences still shape life today. In this trailer, you’ll hear what “deep history” means, what kinds of episodes to expect (solo + interviews), and what’s coming first: Dr. King’s death and the fracturing of a movement, and the stagnation of Black wealth after 1968—through a Montgomery lens. About Montgomery Deep History Montgomery Deep History is hosted by Keelan Adams, a Montgomery, Alabama–based historian and tour guide. The podcast pairs primary-source storytelling with the same streets, statehouses, and bridges you can walk in person. Book a Tour [https://www.montgomerydeephistory.com/our-tours] Social Media @mgmdeephistory | https://www.facebook.com/mgmdeephistory | https://www.tiktok.com/@mgmdeephistory | https://x.com/MGM_DeepHistory Email montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com [montgomerydeephistorytours@gmail.com] Sources & Show Notes Every episode is sourced from primary documents, court opinions, and on-the-record reporting. All links appear in the episode show notes. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave a review — it helps new listeners find the show.