For decades, the faces of American politics have grown more diverse by nearly every measure, especially as racial minority communities gained political representation after longtime legal disenfranchisement and violent discrimination.

After an impassioned set of arguments Wednesday over the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the question is whether Justice Brett Kavanaugh is willing to completely dismantle a law intended to ensure equal voting power for Blacks and other racial minorities.

While the 1965 law was adopted in response to discriminatory practices in southern states, it has affected states and localities nationwide.

The Supreme Court leaned toward restricting the use of race in redistricting during high-stakes oral arguments Wednesday over Louisiana’s congressional map that could curtail a central provision of the Voting Rights Act.

The real life application of the Voting Rights Act can be complicated and messy, Stephanie Grace writes, but the landmark 1965 law -- now facing a major challenge from Louisiana -- remains a bulwark against cynical efforts to diminish the voices of those who've been historically left out.