Ep. 15: Texas and the Gerrymandered South

Headlights: Voices from The Progressive South

SYNOPSIS:

All eyes were on Texas last week as Republican legislators moved toward drawing new congressional districts, effectively trying to steal five seats from Democratic incumbents. It's part of President Donald Trump's strategy to maintain control of the House of Representatives after the 2026 elections. But it's far from the only blatantly partisan gerrymandering Southern states. We break down the map to show that conservatives are already hugely overrepresented in congressional delegations across the region — with districts drawn to marginalize progressive voices. Then it's on to hip-hop! The conversation this week is with Corey J. Miles, an assistant professor at Tulane University in New Orleans who was the editor of a special issue of the journal Southern Cultures devoted entirely to Southern hip-hop. He talks about the region's initial struggle for visibility in a genre dominated by the East and West coasts, and the ways it connects to Black Southern culture and narratives. Plus, a look back at the 1969 "Lonesome Cowboys" raid that helped spur the growth of LGBTQ activism in Georgia.

SHOW NOTES:

"Texas House Republicans unveil new congressional map that looks to pick up five GOP seats" Texas Tribune

Hip-Hop Southern Cultures

"Hip-Hop Playlist" Corey J. Miles

"Film, summit to commemorate police raid that sparked Southern LGBTQ+ rights movement" Rough Draft Atlanta

"The Stonewall of the South That History Forgot" Smithsonian Magazine

Lonesome Cowboys Andy Warhol

CONTACT:

Jesse Mayshark [email protected] [phone]