Law
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibited racial discrimination in voting and targeted discriminatory barriers like literacy tests.
Year
1965
Impact
Positive
Status
Active
Party
Democratic Party
Era
Civil Rights Era
Impact Context
Massively increased Black voter registration and federal voting protections.
What This Policy Did
Massively increased Black voter registration and federal voting protections.
Evidence and Linked Records
John Lewis Voting Access Restoration Act
Critical • Idea • 2 linked bills
Share This Card
This page is meant to stand on its own. The link is stable and readable out of context.
Sources
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights • Government
Government civil rights history summarizing Black voter registration in Mississippi before and after the Voting Rights Act.
U.S. Department of Justice • Government
DOJ overview of the coverage formula and targeted remedies used to address racial discrimination in voting.
Brennan Center for Justice • Nonprofit
Research explainer on the structure and significance of the Voting Rights Act and subsequent weakening by the courts.