One can 't help but wonder if, when all was said and done, it made any meaningful difference to the black community?

You can't be serious?

At the time five county commissioners were elected in a system called post-at-large, which used to be common in the Southern states but became archaic because of voting rights litigation.  Worcester County had never had an African-American county commissioner.

Now the African-American community has representation on the County Commissioners.