The year was 1965…
President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act which prohibited actions by any state to discriminate in voting or in political representation.
And that includes redrawing political district maps every 10 years after a census.
The backers of the new Texas map anticipated the Justice Department might not like it, so they did an end run and went to court.
And now, ironically on the anniversary of the I Have a Dream Speech, the federal court in Washington, has said the new map drawn up by the 82nd Texas Legislature does not provide fair representation for black or Hispanic voters.
Attorney General Greg Abbott says, the next stop is the Supreme Court.
But the Voting Rights Act itself may be in jeopardy.
Abbott has made clear his intention to challenge it ultimately, and the Roberts Court, may just be receptive.

Courtesy:  The Texas Tribune, LBJ Library