Eric Christopher Webb, DDiv., CPLC

Director of Communications

/Editor of The Sphinx

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

ewebb@apa1906.net

Cell: 443-635-5911

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATEMENT OF ALPHA PHI ALPHA FRATERNITY, INC. GENERAL PRESIDENT LUCIEN J. METELLUS, JR. IN ADVANCE OF SCOTUS RULING ON LOUISIANA V. CALLAIS

The General President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Lucien J. Metellus, Jr. released the following statement in advance of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Louisiana v. Callais:

“Alpha stands firmly in defense of voting rights, fair representation, and the constitutional promise of equality for all Americans. As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear Callais v. Louisiana on October 15, 2025, we recognize this case as one of the most consequential challenges to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in modern history.

Since our founding in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha has been at the forefront of the struggle for justice, equality, and the full exercise of citizenship for Black Americans and all marginalized communities. Our commitment to democracy is woven through our history from the leadership of so many members during the civil rights movement, including the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to the tireless advocacy that helped bring about the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

There is nothing more American than a commitment to the principle that every vote must count equally and that racial discrimination in redistricting and electoral access cannot stand. Any erosion of the Voting Rights Act undermines the hard-won progress secured through decades of sacrifice, struggle, and courage.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity reaffirms its unwavering belief that voting is not just a right but a sacred responsibility. We call on the Supreme Court to honor both the spirit and the letter of the Voting Rights Act, ensuring that all citizens have fair and equitable access to the ballot. We further urge policymakers, civic leaders, and the broader public to stand guard against any effort that dilutes the power of the people or distorts the democratic process.”

What Is at Stake

Louisiana’s legislature enacted a congressional map that diluted Black voting strength, establishing only one majority-Black district despite Black residents comprising nearly one-third of the state’s population. Lower courts correctly ordered the creation of a second majority-Black district to ensure compliance with Section 2 — the core provision of the VRA that prohibits racial discrimination in redistricting and voting.

If the Supreme Court uses Callais v. Louisiana to weaken or reinterpret Section 2, it could:

• Make it nearly impossible to challenge racially discriminatory maps,
• Allow states to eliminate minority-opportunity districts,
• Entrench racial gerrymandering nationwide, and
• Lead to a less representative and more polarized Congress.

This case is not only about Louisiana — it is about the future of democracy and the representation of historically marginalized communities across the United States.

Why Louisiana Matters

History reminds us that Louisiana has often been at the crossroads of America’s civil rights struggle — from Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which upheld segregation, to the present day. Once again, the state stands as a battleground where the very meaning of equality and justice is being tested.

Under the false guise of “colorblindness,” this case threatens to erase decades of civil rights progress and undermine the hard-fought gains secured through the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a law born out of the sacrifices of our ancestors — many of whom were members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Our Fraternal Commitment

Alpha Phi Alpha has long been at the forefront of civil rights advocacy, from supporting Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, to leading voter registration, education, and protection efforts through initiatives such as “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People.”

We reaffirm our commitment to:

• Protecting the Voting Rights Act and defending Section 2,
• Advocating for fair maps that reflect the true diversity of our nation,
• Mobilizing Alpha Brothers and our communities to engage in the democratic process, and
• Standing in solidarity with all organizations and coalitions fighting racial gerrymandering and voter suppression.

Call to Action

We call upon:

• Alpha Chapters nationwide to educate, mobilize, and organize voter protection programs,
• Elected officials to defend the integrity of the Voting Rights Act,
• Community partners and faith leaders to raise awareness about the stakes of this case, and
• The U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the principles of justice, equality, and democracy.

Conclusion

This is bigger than Louisiana, it is a defining moment for the soul of America’s democracy.

If Section 2 falls, we risk turning back the clock on civil rights, representation, and equality under the law.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. stands resolute.

We will not allow the hard-fought victories of the past to be undone by the decisions of the present.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. Protect the Vote.”

 

About Alpha Phi Alpha

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men, was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and is headquartered in Baltimore, MD.  The Fraternity has long stood at the forefront of the African American community’s fight for civil rights through Alpha men such as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; late former Congressman Adam Clayton Powell; late former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; legendary activist, actor and performer, Paul Robeson, former Ambassador Andrew Young; late former Senator Edward Brooke; scholar, Cornel West; Senator Raphael Warnock; Congressman Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus; General CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; six other members of the U.S. Congress, numerous state, and local lawmakers across the United States, as well as President of Liberia, His Excellency Joseph Boakai, Sr. The fraternity, through its more than 720 college and alumni chapters and general-organization members, serves communities in the United States, and other parts of North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.