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Introduction
The given historical analysis will primarily focus on the events of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The message will be communicated to a naïve audience, which has no current knowledge of American history, its intricate developmental elements, or internal racial issues. President Johnsons signing of the Act was a vital step toward equality between all people in the US. The essay discusses the reasons for the establishment of the Act, its timeline of it, and the consequences, backed by evidence. The main thesis of the paper is that laws and legal documents must occasionally be revisited and redefined in order to maintain a democratic and fair government and nation. Societal norms drive the laws in place and vice versa, but a paradigm shift often causes the laws to become outdated. Then, there is a need for amendments or additions to be made, such as in the case of the Voting Rights Act.
Causes
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was primarily caused by the systematic suppression of votes that largely targeted African Americans and other minority groups. Although African Americans were freed from slavery as a result of the Civil War, systematic bias and discrimination continued. The Constitution, introduced 95 years prior, includes The Fifteenth Amendment on the protection of the voting ability of all individuals. It states, the right & to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude (National Constitution Center, 2021, para. 1). Nevertheless, various laws existed that limited the ability of various groups and individuals to vote and consequently their political power.
These existent voting laws, although not explicitly prohibiting Black people from voting, nevertheless had the same effect. Some key examples included literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses (History.com Editors, 2021). These legal instruments were used to diminish the political influence and voter impact of minorities by restricting access to the voting process. For example, citizens were denied the right to vote in the case of non-compliance with the tax laws and the failure to pay taxes. However, in many cases, this would be caused by the refusal of the tax collectors to accept the individuals money. In other words, there was an orchestrated procedural pitfall, which was abused to suppress the votes of minorities, especially African Americans.
Furthermore, passing literacy tests was a requirement to be considered eligible to vote. Caused mainly by the centuries of oppression and poverty ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021), the high illiteracy rate in Black communities limited their ability to vote and hence their political influence. Moreover, African Americans were denied their voting right through incorrect application form filling and generally poor literacy skills ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). Another legal system that enabled voter suppression was the grandfather clause, which only allowed voting rights for those whose grandfathers could vote in the pre-war U.S. This, therefore, outlawed Black voters in the states that passed the clause, such as Mississippi.
Hence, it had been an ongoing issue for decades prior to the passing of the Act. However, the tipping point and immediate cause was the Selma to Montgomery march, where state troopers violently attacked the peaceful protesters in Alabama ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). The event led to the quick passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by Lyndon B. Johnson ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). It was the brutality of the state troopers that enraged the nation and made immediate change necessary since it made clear how systematic the injustice was.
Course of Events
The course of events began with the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870. However, some states still were able to conduct voter suppression through literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses. The Civil Rights Movement was becoming more active during the 1950s and 1960s, which heightened the racial tensions in the United States ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). President John F. Kennedys assassination led to Lyndon B. Johnsons presidency in 1963 ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). Selma to Montgomery march took place on March 7, 1965, which led to a violent response by state troopers of Alabama ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). The event resulted in a national outrage and immediate action from Lyndon B. Johnson.
Due to the publicity of the case, the president had to act quickly. On May 26, 1965, The Voting Rights Act was passed in the U.S. Senate by a 77-19 vote ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). After a lengthy debate on the bill, the U.S. House of Representatives passed it by a 333 to 85 vote on July 9 ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). On August 6, 1965, the bill was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson at a ceremonial event, where Martin Luther King, Jr. and other prominent activists were present ( Voting Rights Act of 1965, 2021). Therefore, the most important participants were Lyndon B. Johnson, civil rights activists, and Selma to Montgomery march protestors. The president signed the bill to eliminate the voter suppression laws, whereas civil rights activists and protestors raised the issue in the public eye. The perspectives of these participants did not differ significantly since they worked towards a single goal of voter nondiscrimination.
Consequences
The immediate consequence of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was rooted in the fact that African Americans and other minority groups gained political power due to voting rights protection. In the long term, the bill facilitated the increase of racial equality, which enabled all the progress made from 1965 to today. It had a significant impact on American society since African Americans and other minority groups were finally active participants in the democratic process. Their issues became more voiced in the political arena, which decreased racial inequality in the United States. Although there are continuous issues of oppression and systematic discrimination that still exist in the U.S. today, the progress cannot be underestimated.
Evidence
The impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was multifaceted; however, the most appealing source of evidence was the changes in the political climb to power among African Americans. It is stated that the bill fostered local black office-holding, & controlling local public finances (Bernini et al., 2019, p. 1). Furthermore, the increased representation in local governments led to faster capital spending growth (Bernini et al., 2019, p. 1). In other words, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 allowed African American individuals to gain political influence not only through activism or protests but also within the political institutions.
Conclusion
Voting rights and fighting voting suppression should be a personal issue for every single citizen. As a democratic nation, the US must constantly fight for the fair and just representation of every individual, and it was necessary for the laws to reflect that. Although the Voting Rights Act was a huge step towards equality, it did not solve the problems completely, which highlights the necessity to constantly question and amend existing laws. The Voting Rights Act triggered a series of amendments and acts, including the 26th amendment, which allowed all people over 18 to vote ( A History of Voter Suppression, 2020). Furthermore, over the 1970s and 80s, the Voting Rights Act was expanded to accommodate the many different minorities ( A History of Voter Suppression, 2020). Nevertheless, the issue remains, and over the past few years, there have been numerous legislatures, the introduction of which has limited the voting rights of various groups ( A History of Voter Suppression, 2020). Evidently, there is a need to learn from history and act on the issues that are not being reflected justly by the law.
Looking at the passing of the Voting Rights Act through the historical lens helped me understand the underlying reasons for it and form an objective opinion. While it is impossible to look at history with a complete absence of bias, it is possible to minimize it and judge events from a solely factual standpoint. Understanding how much time and effort leads to meaningful change is vital to conducting further change in the presence. History is incredibly important for understanding the way society has changed over the years of its existence and the events that preceded and followed these changes. Furthermore, the research helped me understand that even the biggest breakthroughs are just a beginning of a series of changes. For example, the abolition of slavery eventually led to the Voting Rights Act, increasing representation for minorities such as African Americans and women.
What the passing of the Voting Rights Act has proven is that the laws must be kept updated according to the social changes that occur in the country. Meaning, that as a society and its views evolve, the laws that it follows must mend and transform accordingly. Furthermore, no event in history can be studied in isolation, and many events that precede and follow it must be considered. For a historian to research this topic further, they must consider other civil rights amendments and laws that were caused by the paradigm shift for example, the legalization of same-sex marriage. Moreover, cases outside the U.S. should be considered, as humankind has experienced numerous changes to its ethical and societal structures over the years. It would be vital to consider the various protests and demonstrations and the changes, or lack thereof, that occurred as a result. While, as mentioned above, it is impossible to study history completely devoid of bias, using primary sources such as accounts of those that lived at the time of the event can be incredibly useful.
References
A History of Voter Suppression. (2020). National Low Income Housing Coalition. Web.
Bernini, A., Facchini, G., & Testa, C. (2019). Race, representation and local governments in the US South: The effect of the Voting Rights Act. SSRN: CERP Discussion Paper, DP12774, 1-62. Web.
Voting Rights Act of 1965. (2021). History. Web.
National Constitution Center. (2021). The right to vote is not denied by race. Interactive Constitution. Web.
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