The Voting Rights Act Anniversary

President L.B.Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act

Forty-three years ago this week,President Lyndon B.Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law,which essentially guaranteed minorities the right to vote without paying so-called"poll taxes" or being subjected to literacy tests.While the law protects ALL minority races,it was primarily directed towards preserving the voting rights of blacks,particularly in states such as Mississippi,where black voters were threatened and intimidated into not voting.Any effort by blacks to organize voter registration drives were met with violence and many homes and churches were torched during this shameful period in American history.In an attempt to prevent blacks from voting,illiterates were turned away and attempts were made to extort "taxes" from them for their right to vote.Groups like the NAACP,the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Congress of Racial Equality worked tirelessly to insure blacks were aware of their rights and to encourage them to register at the polls,and lots of blood was shed along the way.Medgar Evers,who was the leader of the NAACP in the early 60's,literally gave his life to the cause and his killer was not brought to justice until 3 decades later.Civil rights workers James Chaney,Andy Goodman & Mickey Schwerner were jailed in Neshoba County,Mississippi, and later released.As they were driving out of town,they were ambushed by a Sheriffs Deputy,who delivered them into the hands of the local KKK,which not surprisingly,was in cahoots with the cops.They were brutally murdered and later their bodies were recovered on a Mississippi farm.Numerous others were lynched and/or simply disappeared.

In 1964,less than 5% of black Mississippians were registered to vote.In 1967,after the VRA had been in effect for two years,over 29% were registered.108 blacks ran for public office in 1967 and 22 of them actually won.With federal oversight of elections,bitter white resistors turned to gerrymandering to prevent black majorities and even made elaborate changes to the qualifications required to run for office,in an attempt to suppress black political hopefuls.

Fast-forward to today,when the main Democratic contenders are a white female and a biracial man.Occasionally adjustments are made to the Voting Rights Act and in fact,President George W.Bush signed a re-authorization of the Act before the 89th US Congress.

So many people today still take their voting rights for granted and they need to be reminded that until about 90 years ago,no woman could vote and until just 4 decades ago,neither could black people.Everyone should take a few moments this week to reflect on the many sacrifices made by those before us so that EVERYONE is allowed to exercise the right to vote!

Source references:"Ghosts of Mississippi" by Maryanne Vollers printed in 1995