Photo: Getty Images
For the first time in history, Black lawmakers were sworn into the Maryland town of Federalsburg.
On Monday (October 2), Brandy James and Darlene Hammond were sworn into the Federalsburg town council, representing the majority-Black District 1, CNN reports. James and Hammond, who were elected last month, became the first Black lawmakers to be sworn into the town council in its 200-year history.
The historic feat comes after a long-fought battle over the election process in Federalsburg. Voting rights advocates said the system left Black residents without representation for decades.
Lawmakers were previously chosen by government officials, which typically resulted in an all-white government. The ACLU of Maryland and seven Black Federalsburg residents, including Hammond, filed a federal lawsuit against the town over its election system.
“The Town’s election practices, and structure unlawfully conspire with patterns of racial polarization in voting to empower Federalsburg’s white majority to override and dilute the influence of Black voters, suppress Black candidacies, and prevent Black residents from electing their chosen representatives,” the lawsuit said.
The Federalsburg town council approved a resolution in June to introduce a two-district voting system map.
Following her election, James said she's prioritizing accessibility with the voting system and revamping the town’s senior center.
“While this is a huge victory and long overdue for 200 years, I feel there is residue left of 200 years that we still have to go through and clean up,” James said.
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