#OnThisDay in 1965, Johnson signed the Voter Rights Act (VRA). The #VRA is a landmark federal law enacted in 1965 to remove race-based restrictions on voting.
** UPDATE: The VRA was successfully challenged in June 2013 (Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder). The Supreme Court struck down (in a 5-4 ruling) Section 4(b) as outdated and not “grounded in current conditions.” Consequently, Section 5 is intact, but inoperable, unless or until Congress prescribes a new Section 4 formula. **
1965 - Johnson signs VRA
1970 - Nixon signs 5-yr renewal
1975 - Ford signs 7-yr renewal
1982 - Reagan signs 25-yr renewal
2006 - Bush signs 25-yr renewal
2013 - Shelby v. Holder challenges VRA
Learn more: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43626.pdf
Resources:
Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNjlwwf2K9g&feature=youtu.be
Nixon: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-the-voting-rights-act-amendments-1970
Ford: https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0005/1561605.pdf
Reagan: https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/research/speeches/62982b
Bush: https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/07/20060727.html
Shelby v. Holder: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/12pdf/12-96_6k47.pdf
VRA Timeline: https://www.aclu.org/voting-rights-act-major-dates-history
Prior challenges: https://www.usccr.gov/pubs/msdelta/ch3.htm
Current status: https://www.usccr.gov/pubs/2018/Minority_Voting_Access_2018.pdf
History: https://www.justice.gov/crt/history-federal-voting-rights-laws Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA87JWa0bEw
Video: https://storycorps.org/stories/ellie-dahmer-and-bettie-dahmer-170113/
Aug 6, 1965: Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement on August 6, 1965, and