Commemorating the 51st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Legislative Black Caucus (LLBC), Commemorates the 51st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is one of the most noted and effective pieces of civil rights legislation that has impacted the history of the United States. After the murder of voting rights activists in Philadelphia and Mississippi gained national attention as a result of the vicious attacks of violence and terrorism which became the impetus to persuade for President Lyndon Johnson and Congress to overcome Southern legislators’ resistance to effective voting right legislation.
President Johnson signed this legislation into law on August 6, 1965. Section 2 of the Act, which closely followed the language of the 15th amendment, applied a nationwide prohibition against the denial or abridgment of an individual’s right to vote on the literacy tests on a nationwide basis. This legislation was operative in helping to break barriers of discrimination and disenfranchisement – especially in the southern states.
However, three years after the Supreme Court decided to dismantle key provisions of the Voting Rights Act. There are still some refusing to allow a vote on a renewed and strengthened Voting Rights Act and for this reason we urge action to ensure that every citizen has the right to vote and that every “vote” is counted as cast.
In addition, we are also encouraging “inactive” voters to become “active” voters in the upcoming elections. Louisiana Citizens can update their personal information with their local Voters Registrar Office prior to the November elections to ensure that there are no challenges on Election Day.
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