Highlights From The Turbulent 1960s Civil Rights Movement

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Civil Rights Movement was on a roll and in August of 1965, President Johnson passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which sought to remove unfair barriers to voter registration and ensured that voter registration would be subject to federal scrutiny.

Source: CNN

The effect of this legislation was incredible. In a few months, more than a quarter of a million African-Americans had registered to vote. Within four years, voter registration in The South had doubled. Previously segregated states had the highest levels of black voter turnout in the country. This freedom to vote also ensured the swift removal of many of America’s most racist politicians from office.