08/07/2025
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965. Hailed as one of the most critical civil rights laws ever passed, the VRA mandated the promise of equal voting rights in the United States into law, enacting critical protections to combat discriminatory voting practices that long disenfranchised Black communities and other communities of color.
The VRA banned racial discrimination in voting policies and practices such as literacy tests, poll taxes (already unconstitutional in federal elections via the 24th Amendment, but still used in state and local elections until 1966), and other tactics used to prevent Black Americans and other minorities from voting, and included provisions to ensure that states act in accordance with the 15th Amendment, which prohibited federal or state governments from denying the right to vote based on race.
The VRA Act provided for federal oversight of voter registration and elections in areas with a history of voter discrimination.
In marking the historic passage of the Voting Rights Act 60 years ago today, we honor and celebrate the courage, sacrifice, and tenacity of the fearless individuals who led the charge for an inclusive democracy. In unified calls for justice and change, from across the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama to the halls of our nation’s legal chambers, those undaunted souls advocated for fair and full access to the ballot box for all Americans. The seminal legislation of the VRA that arose from their efforts decisively transformed our nation and marked a significant milestone in our journey as a burgeoning multiracial democracy—largely alleviating widespread voter disenfranchisement and empowering millions of Black people and other people of color to register to vote.
The anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act reminds us of where we’ve been and the struggles ahead to ensure voting rights for all citizens. The late Rep. John Lewis emphasized: “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.” Today is also a reminder that we have a long way to go in this fight. As Black communities face the most pervasive, rampant voter disenfranchisement in decades, the urgency of this current moment cannot be overstated
