Louisiana Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Midβ20th century to present === Mobilization for [[World War II]] created jobs in the state. But thousands of other workers, black and white alike, migrated to California for better jobs in its burgeoning defense industry. Many African Americans left the state in the [[Second Great Migration (African American)|Second Great Migration]], from the 1940s through the 1960s to escape social oppression and seek better jobs. The mechanization of agriculture in the 1930s had sharply cut the need for laborers. They sought skilled jobs in the defense industry in California, better education for their children, and living in communities where they could vote.<ref>[http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/landing.cfm?migration=9 "African American Migration Experience: The Second Great Migration", ''In Motion'', New York Public Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104202248/http://www.inmotionaame.org/migrations/landing.cfm?migration=9 |date=November 4, 2013 }}, accessed April 24, 2008</ref> On November 26, 1958, at [[Chennault Air Force Base]], a USAF B-47 bomber with a [[nuclear weapon]] on board developed a fire while on the ground. The aircraft wreckage and the site of the accident were contaminated after a limited explosion of non-nuclear material.<ref>Rebecca Grant. [http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/August%202011/0811dome.aspx The Perils of Chrome Dome] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902133753/http://www.airforcemag.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/August%25202011/0811dome.aspx |date=September 2, 2019 }}, ''Air Force Magazine'', Vol. 94, No. 8, August 2011.</ref> In the 1950s the state created new requirements for a citizenship test for voter registration. Despite opposition by the [[Dixiecrats|States' Rights Party]] (Dixiecrats), downstate black voters had begun to increase their rate of registration, which also reflected the growth of their middle classes. In 1960 the state established the Louisiana State Sovereignty Commission, to investigate civil rights activists and maintain segregation.<ref>Adam Fairclough, ''Race & Democracy: The Civil Rights Struggle in Louisiana, 1915β1972'', University of Georgia Press, 1999</ref> Despite this, gradually black voter registration and turnout increased to 20% and more, and it was 32% by 1964, when the first national civil rights legislation of the era was passed.<ref>[http://www.naacpldf.org/content/pdf/reauthorization/Louisiana_VRA_Report.pdf Debo P. Adegbile, "Voting Rights in Louisiana: 1982β2006", March 2006, p. 7] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626001257/http://www.naacpldf.org/content/pdf/reauthorization/Louisiana_VRA_Report.pdf |date=June 26, 2008 }}, accessed March 19, 2008</ref> The percentage of black voters ranged widely in the state during these years, from 93.8% in [[Evangeline Parish]] to 1.7% in [[Tensas Parish]], for instance, where there were intense white efforts to suppress the vote in the black-majority parish.<ref name="thernstrom">[http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.23861/pub_detail.asp Edward Blum and Abigail Thernstrom, "Executive Summary"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417211312/http://www.aei.org/publications/pubID.23861/pub_detail.asp |date=April 17, 2009 }}, ''Bullock-Gaddie Expert Report on Louisiana'', February 10, 2006, p.1, American Enterprise Institute, accessed March 19, 2008</ref> Violent attacks on civil rights activists in two mill towns were catalysts to the founding of the first two chapters of the [[Deacons for Defense and Justice]] in late 1964 and early 1965, in [[Jonesboro, Louisiana|Jonesboro]] and [[Bogalusa, Louisiana|Bogalusa]], respectively. Made up of veterans of World War II and the [[Korean War]], they were armed self-defense groups established to protect activists and their families. Continued violent white resistance in Bogalusa to blacks trying to use public facilities in 1965, following passage of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], caused the federal government to order local police to protect the activists.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |title=Robert Hicks, Leader in Armed Rights Group, Dies at 81 |author=Douglas Martin |date=April 24, 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/us/25hicks.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018103407/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/us/25hicks.html |archive-date=October 18, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other chapters were formed in Mississippi and Alabama. By 1960 the proportion of African Americans in Louisiana had dropped to 32%. The 1,039,207 black citizens were still suppressed by segregation and disfranchisement.<ref>[http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php Historical Census Browser, 1960 US Census, University of Virginia], accessed March 15, 2008 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070823030234/http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/collections/stats/histcensus/php/state.php |date=August 23, 2007 }}</ref> African Americans continued to suffer disproportionate discriminatory application of the state's voter registration rules. Because of better opportunities elsewhere, from 1965 to 1970, blacks continued to migrate out of Louisiana, for a net loss of more than 37,000 people. Based on official census figures, the African American population in 1970 stood at 1,085,109, a net gain of more than 46,000 people compared to 1960. During the latter period, some people began to migrate to cities of the [[New South]] for opportunities.<ref>[http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2004/05demographics_frey.aspx William H. Frey, "The New Great Migration: Black Americans' Return to the South, 1965β2000"; May 2004, p. 3, The Brookings Institution] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118184428/http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2004/05demographics_frey.aspx |date=January 18, 2012 }}, accessed March 19, 2008</ref> Since that period, blacks entered the political system and began to be elected to office, as well as having other opportunities. On May 21, 1919, the [[Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]], giving women full rights to vote, was passed at a national level, and was made the law throughout the United States on August 18, 1920. Louisiana finally ratified the amendment on June 11, 1970.<ref>{{cite web|title=Louisiana and the 19th Amendment (U.S. National Park Service)|url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/louisiana-and-the-19th-amendment.htm|url-status=live|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=National Park Service|archive-date=October 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016194808/https://www.nps.gov/articles/louisiana-and-the-19th-amendment.htm}}</ref> [[File:Katrina-new-orleans-flooding3-2005.jpg|thumb|View of flooded New Orleans in the aftermath of [[Hurricane Katrina]]]] Due to its location on the Gulf Coast, Louisiana has regularly suffered the effects of tropical storms and damaging hurricanes. On August 29, 2005, New Orleans and many other low-lying parts of the state along the [[Gulf of Mexico]] were hit by the catastrophic [[Hurricane Katrina]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hurricane Katrina|url=https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/hurricane-katrina|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=HISTORY|date=August 9, 2019 |archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922203715/https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/hurricane-katrina|url-status=live}}</ref> It caused widespread damage due to breaching of levees and large-scale flooding of more than 80% of the city. Officials had issued warnings to evacuate the city and nearby areas, but tens of thousands of people, mostly African Americans, stayed behind, many of them stranded. Many people died and survivors suffered through the damage of the widespread floodwaters. In July 2016 the [[shooting of Alton Sterling]] sparked protests throughout the state capital of Baton Rouge.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alton Sterling protesters treated 'like animals' in Baton Rouge prison, advocacy group claims|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/article_83d4ec44-626c-11e7-86ae-dbcc39e06536.html|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=The Advocate|date=July 8, 2017 |archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109012549/https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/article_83d4ec44-626c-11e7-86ae-dbcc39e06536.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=BRPD officer injured in Alton Sterling protest can pursue negligence claim against organizer|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/courts/article_8115e746-20e3-11ea-bac9-e3b6fc6aca74.html|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=The Advocate|date=December 17, 2019 |archive-date=September 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918033728/https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/courts/article_8115e746-20e3-11ea-bac9-e3b6fc6aca74.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2016, [[2016 Louisiana floods|an unnamed storm]] dumped trillions of gallons of rain on southern Louisiana, including the cities of [[Denham Springs, Louisiana|Denham Springs]], [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge]], Gonzales, St. Amant and [[Lafayette, Louisiana|Lafayette]], causing catastrophic flooding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/08/19/no-name-storm-dumped-three-times-as-much-rain-in-louisiana-as-hurricane-katrina/ |title=No-name storm dumped three times as much rain in Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina |newspaper=Washington Post |author=Jason Samenow |date=August 19, 2016 |access-date=August 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820130720/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/08/19/no-name-storm-dumped-three-times-as-much-rain-in-louisiana-as-hurricane-katrina/ |archive-date=August 20, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> An estimated 110,000 homes were damaged and thousands of residents were displaced.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Baton Rouge Area Chamber|title=BRAC's preliminary analysis of potential magnitude of flooding's impact on the Baton Rouge region|url=http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/theadvocate.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/b5/8b5eec1c-662d-11e6-ae3d-7b8d8a55b473/57b739d469a16.pdf.pdf|access-date=August 22, 2016|work=Baton Rouge Area Chamber|date=August 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916162329/http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/theadvocate.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/b5/8b5eec1c-662d-11e6-ae3d-7b8d8a55b473/57b739d469a16.pdf.pdf|archive-date=September 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0b">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/08/16/this-man-bought-108-pounds-of-brisket-to-cook-for-the-displaced-baton-rogue-victims/|title=This man bought 108 pounds of brisket to cook for the displaced Baton Rouge victims|last=Cusick|first=Ashley|date=August 16, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|issn=0190-8286|access-date=August 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819182516/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/08/16/this-man-bought-108-pounds-of-brisket-to-cook-for-the-displaced-baton-rogue-victims/|archive-date=August 19, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, three [[Louisiana black church fires|Louisiana black churches]] were destroyed by arson.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Szekely|first=Peter|date=April 11, 2019|title=Son of sheriff's deputy charged with burning three Louisiana black churches|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-louisiana-fires-idUSKCN1RN0E9|access-date=September 26, 2020|archive-date=September 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927101358/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-louisiana-fires-idUSKCN1RN0E9|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Blinder|first1=Alan|last2=Fausset|first2=Richard|last3=Eligon|first3=John|date=April 11, 2019|title=A Charred Gas Can, a Receipt and an Arrest in Fires of 3 Black Churches|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/us/holden-matthews-black-church-fires.html|access-date=September 26, 2020|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417094254/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/11/us/holden-matthews-black-church-fires.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Eliott C. McLaughlin|title=Prosecutor adds hate crimes to charges against Louisiana church fire suspect|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/15/us/louisiana-church-fires-suspect-bail-hearing/index.html|access-date=September 26, 2020|website=CNN|date=April 15, 2019|archive-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417203034/https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/15/us/louisiana-church-fires-suspect-bail-hearing/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The first case of [[COVID-19 pandemic in Louisiana|COVID-19 in Louisiana]] was announced on March 9, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last=Finch|first=Chris|title=Louisiana confirms presumptive case of coronavirus in New Orleans area|url=https://www.ksla.com/2020/03/09/gov-edwards-confirms-positive-case-coronavirus-jefferson-parish/|url-status=live|access-date=September 25, 2020|website=KSLA|date=March 9, 2020 |archive-date=November 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106044513/https://www.ksla.com/2020/03/09/gov-edwards-confirms-positive-case-coronavirus-jefferson-parish/}}</ref> As of October 27, 2020, there had been 180,069 confirmed cases; 5,854 people have died of COVID-19.<ref>{{cite web|title=Louisiana Coronavirus COVID-19 {{!}} Department of Health {{!}} State of Louisiana|url=https://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/|access-date=October 27, 2020|website=ldh.la.gov|archive-date=June 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607075257/http://www.ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{update inline|date=July 2023}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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