What the Voting Rights Act Did
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was created to enforce the right to vote for all Americans, regardless of race. Before this law, Southern states used various tactics to prevent Black Americans from voting, including literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses. The act directly addressed these discriminatory practices and made them illegal.
Original Requirements
The law required states and counties with a history of voter discrimination to get approval from the federal government before making any changes to their voting rules. This approval process is called preclearance. The act also banned literacy tests nationwide, which had been used unfairly to block Black voters from registering. Federal examiners were sent to some areas to register voters and ensure they were treated fairly.
Which Areas Were Affected
The law primarily targeted Southern states and certain counties that had a demonstrated pattern of racial discrimination in voting. These areas were required to follow stricter rules and get federal permission before changing voting procedures. The federal government identified these areas based on voter registration rates and the use of discriminatory practices.
Why It Was Needed
Even though the 15th Amendment, passed in 1870, said the right to vote could not be denied based on race, many states still found ways to prevent Black Americans from voting. The Voting Rights Act was necessary because states were ignoring the Constitution. The law gave the federal government the power to enforce voting rights and punish those who tried to prevent people from voting based on race.
Impact
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 dramatically increased voter registration among Black Americans, especially in the South. Thousands of Black citizens were able to register and vote for the first time. The law is considered one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation in American history. 
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