By: Roy Douglas Malonson
The 1965 Voting Rights Act is one of the most important laws in American history. Signed during the Civil Rights Movement, it was created to make sure that Black Americans could safely exercise their constitutional right to vote, especially in places where they had faced unfair obstacles for decades. For a long time, this law worked like a shield, protecting voters and helping minority communities elect leaders who truly represented them.
However, in recent years, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) made major decisions that weakened, or “gutted,” this historic law. The biggest change happened in 2013 with a case called Shelby County v. Holder. The Supreme Court got rid of a key rule that forced states with a history of discrimination to get approval from the federal government before changing their voting laws. The Court argued that the country had changed and these protections were no longer needed. But almost immediately after the ruling, several states passed new, stricter voting laws that made it harder for people to vote.
Another big shift involves “dismantling” Black congressional districts. Congressional districts are areas drawn on a map that determine who represents a community in government. To give minority voters a fair voice, mapmakers sometimes create “majority-minority” districts, where Black voters make up the largest group. This ensures they can elect a leader who understands their specific needs.
Recently, some state lawmakers have redrawn these maps to break up these districts. By splitting Black communities across several different areas, their voting power is watered down. This makes it much harder for Black voters to elect their preferred candidates. When the Supreme Court allows these redrawn maps to stand, it essentially reduces Black representation in Congress.
These decisions have sparked a massive debate across the nation. Critics argue that rolling back the Voting Rights Act and taking apart these voting districts undoes the hard-fought progress of the Civil Rights Movement, making it harder for government to look like the diverse country it represents. Defenders of the rulings believe states should have more freedom to run their own elections without Washington, D.C., stepping in. Ultimately, how we draw districts and protect voting rights shapes who gets a seat at the table to make rules for everyone.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark law that completely transformed American society. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, it was designed to end segregation and strike down discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
While the 1965 Voting Rights Act focused specifically on the ballot box, the 1964 Civil Rights Act tackled discrimination in daily
public life, employment, and education. What the 1964 Act Accomplished Banned Segregation in Public Places: It made it illegal for businesses like restaurants, hotels, theaters, and pools to refuse service to people or separate them based on race.
Targeted Workplace Discrimination: The law created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which protects workers from being fired, passed over for promotions, or denied jobs because of who they are. Desegregated Schools: It gave the federal government the power to force public schools to integrate, speeding up the process started by the Brown v. Board of Education ruling a decade earlier.
Cut Federal Funding for Discrimination: If a state or local program discriminated against Black Americans, the federal government could pull its funding. Together, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act formed the one-two punch that legally dismantled the Jim Crow system in the American South.
