What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a major piece of civil rights legislation that works to secure the right to vote for all Americans. This important law was enacted by the United States Congress with the goal of guaranteeing the rights of eligible citizens, regardless of their race, to register and vote in elections. The Voting Rights Act made it illegal for states or other jurisdictions to impose any type of voting requirement that was either discriminatory or that would restrict an individual’s right to vote. In addition, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 explicitly banned several voting requirements which had previously been used as a means of discriminating against certain minority voters. These included the use of poll taxes, literacy tests, and other methods of voter suppression. As a result of this law, millions of citizens, many of whom had previously been denied this right, were finally able to register and vote in elections. In Indiana, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a major victory. Prior to this law, African American residents of Indiana had to undergo pre-voting literacy tests in order to participate in elections, which were often impossible for most African Americans to pass. With the passage of the Voting Rights Act, these tests were prohibited and all Indiana residents, regardless of race, were able to register and vote without fear of discrimination.

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What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

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