Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, is considered the most effective piece of civil rights legislation ever enacted. It outlawed literacy tests, poll taxes, and other tactics that Southern states had used for decades to prevent Black citizens from voting. The law also required certain states with a history of discrimination to get federal approval before changing their voting procedures. The act was a direct result of the Selma to Montgomery marches, where John Lewis and other demonstrators were brutally beaten on "Bloody Sunday" (March 7, 1965). Within months of the act's passage, 250,000 new Black voters had registered. By 1968, Black voter registration in Mississippi had jumped from 6.7% to 59.8%.
Key Takeaways
Outlawed discriminatory voting practices like literacy tests and poll taxes
Led to massive increases in Black voter registration across the South
The Selma marches and Bloody Sunday were the catalyst for this legislation