Demographics

February 15, 2019 - Southern states are projected to gain up to four congressional seats and Electoral College votes after next year's census. But some Southern states are at risk of losing representation, and census undercounts could dilute the power of African-American and Latino communities.

December 19, 2018 - As the lame duck governor heads to the U.S. Senate, Florida is losing its only black Supreme Court justice. That’s no accident: A drastic loss in racial diversity on Florida state courts is part of Gov. Scott’s legacy and has led to demands for reforming how judges are chosen.

November 30, 2018 - When Southern legislatures gavel into session in 2019, Republicans will still enjoy majority control in all of the South's upper and lower chambers. But for Southern Republicans, there is cause for concern: Since the election of President Trump, Democrats have gained ground in key Southern states.

November 16, 2018 - The federal government's 287(g) program has put some 15,000 undocumented immigrants in deportation proceedings in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. But following a grassroots campaign by the immigrant-rights group Comunidad Colectiva, county residents voted to unseat their pro-287(g) sheriff for one who's promised to end participation.

November 16, 2018 - Republican-drawn congressional maps dramatically undercut Democratic candidates' ability to win in Southern states in 2018.

November 9, 2018 - From Arkansas to North Carolina to Texas, courts in the South will look much different following the election of more diverse and progressive candidates.

November 2, 2018 - Echoing Trump, Republicans across the South and country are stepping up anti-immigrant rhetoric in the final stretch of the 2018 elections. The goal is to boost turnout of GOP base voters this year, but evidence is growing that hardline immigration politics will weaken the party in the long run.

October 26, 2018 - A new report highlights how Asian Americans, the fastest-growing racial demographic in North Carolina, are a growing political force in the state — and could swing key races in 2018.

October 26, 2018 - In South Carolina, social worker Marlanda Dekine uses poetry to open up dialogue and break down barriers that divide her community.

October 11, 2018 - After the Civil War, new state constitutions drafted with the help of freedmen required former Confederate states to establish their first public school systems. But 150 years later, education advocates are still fighting to ensure that Southern states live up to their mandate to offer every student a decent education.