Know Your History: Voting Rights Act 1965

On this day, 55 short years ago, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law. Signed by President Lyndon Johnson, the act outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War. Many black Americans faced tremendous obstacles to register to vote and voting itself including poll taxes, literacy tests, harassment and physical violence. As a result, very few black Americans were registered voters, and they had very little if any political power, locally or nationally. For more information, click here. Honor those like MLK Jr., John Lewis, C.T. Vivian and the countless others, who literally put their lives on the line so black Americans could vote. To register to vote go to www.morethanavote.org or www.scvotes.gov.