Changes

The [[interest group]], Blacks United for Lasting Leadership, Inc., an [[African-American]] [[civil rights]] organization in Shreveport, filed a [[class action]] lawsuit against the City of Shreveport to force an end to the commission form of government. In 1974, blacks constituted 32 percent of the Shreveport population, but no African American had served on the city council, which since 1910 had consisted of five commissioners, including the mayor. By the time of the 2010  Census forty years later, Shreveport was some 55 percent black in population, and whites were unable again to win the mayor's office.<ref>2010 General profile of housing and population characteristics for Shreveport from the U.S. Census.</ref> BULL alleged that the inherent at-large feature of the commission government operated unconstitutionally to dilute the votes of blacks. The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana agreed and declared the commissi government unconstitutional under the [[14th Amendment]] to the[[ United States Constitution]]. The decision was affirmed in March 1978 by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit]] in [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openjurist.org/571/f2d/248/blacks-united-for-lasting-leadership-inc-v-city-of-shreveport|title=Blacks United for Lasting Leadership, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, vs. the City of Shreveport, Defendants-Appellants|date=March 29, 1978|publisher=openjurist.org|accessdate=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

The [[interest group]], Blacks United for Lasting Leadership, Inc., an [[African-American]] [[civil rights]] organization in Shreveport, filed a [[class action]] lawsuit against the City of Shreveport to force an end to the commission form of government. In 1974, blacks constituted 32 percent of the Shreveport population, but no African American had served on the city council, which since 1910 had consisted of five commissioners, including the mayor. By the time of the 2010  Census forty years later, Shreveport was some 55 percent black in population, and whites were unable again to win the mayor's office.<ref>2010 General profile of housing and population characteristics for Shreveport from the U.S. Census.</ref> BULL alleged that the inherent at-large feature of the commission government operated unconstitutionally to dilute the votes of blacks. The United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana agreed and declared the commissi government unconstitutional under the [[14th Amendment]] to the[[ United States Constitution]]. The decision was affirmed in March 1978 by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit]] in [[New Orleans]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://openjurist.org/571/f2d/248/blacks-united-for-lasting-leadership-inc-v-city-of-shreveport|title=Blacks United for Lasting Leadership, Inc., et al., Plaintiffs-Appellees, vs. the City of Shreveport, Defendants-Appellants|date=March 29, 1978|publisher=openjurist.org|accessdate=December 28, 2020}}</ref>

Shreveport hence switched to the mayor-council form of government with the fast-approaching 1978 elections, when Commissioner Don Hathaway ran a strong but losing race for mayor to then automobile dealer, [[William T. "Bill" Hanna]], who made issue that he was an "outsider" to the troubles that had befallen City Hall, since Government Plaza. <ref>[[James C. Gardner]], ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport,'' Vol. II, (Shreveport: [[Sarah Hudson-Pierce]]'s Ritz Publications, 2006), pp. 224–225.</ref> Utilities Commissioner Billy Guin was another unsuccessful candidate for mayor in the September 16 nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', September 17, 1978</ref><ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' September 18, 1978.</ref>  

Shreveport hence switched to the mayor-council form of government with the fast-approaching 1978 elections, when Commissioner Don Hathaway ran a strong but losing race for mayor to then automobile dealer, [[Bill Hanna|William T. "Bill" Hanna]], who made issue that he was an "outsider" to the troubles that had befallen City Hall, since Government Plaza. <ref>[[James C. Gardner]], ''Jim Gardner and Shreveport,'' Vol. II, (Shreveport: [[Sarah Hudson-Pierce]]'s Ritz Publications, 2006), pp. 224–225.</ref> Utilities Commissioner Billy Guin was another unsuccessful candidate for mayor in the September 16 nonpartisan blanket primary.<ref>''The Shreveport Times'', September 17, 1978</ref><ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' September 18, 1978.</ref>  

Days after his defeat for mayor, Hathaway on November 21, 1978, Hathaway joined Mayor-elect Hanna, outgoing Mayor Allen, and outgoing Commissioner Guin for the dedication of a new Exhibition Hall on the riverfront, a structure later named in Allen's honor,<ref name=facesofthepast>{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=M5AwFlQTMywC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=Don+Hathaway+of+Shreveport&source=bl&ots=4Yocs9HljP&sig=jG8nD7l-LuFkUFugjJ_O5Mv3SDQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OEKiU7nmI-OU8QH5jIHgDg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBjgy#v=onepage&q=Don%20Hathaway%20of%20Shreveport&f=false|title=Shreveport: Faces of the Past|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]],  [[South Carolina]]|author=[[Eric Brock]]|date=2001|pages=43-44|isbn=0-7385-1416-0|accessdate=June 18, 2014}}</ref>now known as StageWorks of Louisiana.

Days after his defeat for mayor, Hathaway on November 21, 1978, Hathaway joined Mayor-elect Hanna, outgoing Mayor Allen, and outgoing Commissioner Guin for the dedication of a new Exhibition Hall on the riverfront, a structure later named in Allen's honor,<ref name=facesofthepast>{{cite web|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=M5AwFlQTMywC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=Don+Hathaway+of+Shreveport&source=bl&ots=4Yocs9HljP&sig=jG8nD7l-LuFkUFugjJ_O5Mv3SDQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OEKiU7nmI-OU8QH5jIHgDg&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBjgy#v=onepage&q=Don%20Hathaway%20of%20Shreveport&f=false|title=Shreveport: Faces of the Past|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Charleston]],  [[South Carolina]]|author=[[Eric Brock]]|date=2001|pages=43-44|isbn=0-7385-1416-0|accessdate=June 18, 2014}}</ref>now known as StageWorks of Louisiana.