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Congress passes the 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment guarantees African American men the right to vote. After the Civil War, African Americans were finally starting to be recognized as people, who deserved to share their opinion on topics in their country. National Archives -
Guinn v. United States
In the Guinn v. United States case, the Supreme Court ruled that certain grandfather clause exemptions to literacy tests for voting rights were unconstitutional. These exemptions were designed to favor illiterate white voters while disenfranchising black voters, violating the 15th Amendment.toughtco -
Congress passes the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment guarantees women the right to vote. Women began fighting for suffrage in the eighteenth century; they protested and held conventions. Multiple women's suffrage organizations teamed up together with the same goal of being granted a constitutional amendment. They finally reached their goal after more than a century. National Archives -
Alice Pual
Certainly! Alice Paul was a Quaker suffragist who played a crucial role in securing women’s right to vote. She authored the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923, advocating for gender equality. Despite not being ratified, her legacy endures as a powerful voice in the fight for equalityHistory -
The Indian Citizenship act is passed
This was a United States Constitution act that declared American Indians US citizens. The Indigenous people of the United States fought hard for a long time to be recognized as Americans. Constitution Center -
The McCarran-Walter Act
The McCarran-Walter Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1952, aimed to reform immigration laws. It removed racial barriers to immigration, but also expanded immigration enforcement and retained national origins quotas.immigration history -
Congress passes the 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was written and approved to forbid federal and state governments from using poll taxes - a fee required to pay in order to vote. This raised another restriction that targeted African American men who were typically poor. National Archives -
Reynolds v Sims case is decided
This case took place at the Alabama State Capitol. The argument that took place was that each county had various amounts of eligible voters. Jefferson County had 41x more than any other district. The solution was equal protection which required state legislative districts to be comprised of nearly equal populations. Justia -
The Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark federal legislation in the United States. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, during the height of the civil rights movement. The act prohibits racial discrimination in voting, aiming to overcome legal barriers that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitutionhistory -
Freedom Summer
Freedom Summer, also known as the Mississippi Summer Project, was a 1964 voter registration drive in Mississippi. 700 mostly white volunteers joined African Americans to fight against voter intimidation and discrimination. The movement aimed to increase the number of registered Black voters and drew international attention to the civil rights movement, ultimately contributing to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.history -
The Removal of Property Requirements
Originally, the United States Constitution did not specify voting requirements, with the intent to leave that decision to the states. The most common requirement was that the voter must be a white male who owned property at a minimum value. This left out many different groups: all African Americans, all women, poor white men, and others who didn't own property. National Archives -
The 26th Amendment is ratified by 3/4 of US States
The 26th Amendment guarantees eighteen year old US citizens the right to vote in state and local elections. The voting age was lowered from twenty one years old, after protests argued that if they can fight, they can vote - this referred to the fact that eighteen year old men were being drafted in the US Military to fight in the Vietnam War. National Archives -
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities. It ensures that individuals with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else in areas such as employment, purchasing goods and services, and participating in state and local government programshistory -
Motor Voter Law is passed by congress
The motor voter law allowed people to register to vote while also applying for a driver's license. This law was passed to make vote registration easier, hoping to encourage more citizens to vote. Ohio Secretary of State -
Jennings Randolph's impact on the 26th Amendment
Jennings Randolph made his impact with the 26th Amendment. He was a West Virginia Democrat who served in the US Senate from 1958 to 1985 and was credited with writing the amendment that lowered the minimum voting age of 18. Washington Post -
Help America Vote act
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA), passed by the United States Congress in 2002, aims to improve the nation’s voting process. It addresses enhancements to voting systems and voter access, providing funding for states to meet new standards, replace outdated voting systems, and enhance election administration. EAC -
Military and Overseas Empowerment Act
The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act is a U.S. law from 2009. It makes it easier for Americans living outside the U.S. to vote in U.S. elections by allowing online voter registration.BallotPedia -
John Lewis Voting Rights Act
The John Lewis Voting Rights Act is proposed legislation named after civil rights activist John Lewis. It aims to strengthen and restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Specifically, it would require certain jurisdictions to seek federal approval before making changes to their voting laws, addressing issues raised by a Supreme Court decision in 2013 that invalidated a key provision of the original actcongress -
Shelby County v Holder is ruled unconstitutional
The US Supreme Court decides the use of the coverage formula in Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act to determine which jurisdictions depend on the approval requirement of Section 5. Department of Justice -
Florida Amendment 4
Florida Amendment 4 is an initiative on the ballot in Florida. A “yes” vote supports establishing a constitutional right to abortion before fetal viability, while a “no” vote opposes this constitutional right. The amendment aims to provide legal protection for abortion access in the state, allowing it before fetal viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health