1965 Voting Rights Act

About

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, it aimed to enforce the voting rights protected by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The Act sought to secure the right to vote for racial minorities, particularly in the South, where discriminatory practices like literacy tests and poll taxes had been used to disenfranchise African Americans. The Act contains both general and special provisions. General provisions apply nationwide, prohibiting voting rules that discriminate based on race or language minority status. Special provisions, such as Section 5 preclearance, required certain jurisdictions to obtain federal approval before changing voting practices. This ensured that changes did not discriminate against protected minorities. The Act has been amended several times, including in 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992, and 2006, to expand protections and address new challenges. Despite the Supreme Court's 2013 decision invalidating part of the preclearance requirement, the Act remains a crucial tool for protecting voting rights.