15 t h Amendment

De facto vs. De jure

Civil Rights Act 1964

Voting Rights Act 1965

SUFFRAGE & CIVIL RIGHTS

1870Right to vote cannot be denied to any citizen on

account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Does this settle the question?De facto segregation v. De jure segregation

Congress must pass laws to enforce this.

15TH AMENDMENT

-- literacy requirements created to prevent minorities from voting -- Congress outlawed

-- poll tax created in late 1800s in the South to prevent African-Americans from voting-- outlawed by 24 th Amendment (1964)

Voter ID Laws-- some states require voters to have ID on them when voting

ROADBLOCKS TO VOTING

First law to implement the 15 th Amendment

Established the Civil Rights Commission

1960: created federal election offi cials

Why does the Federal gov’t assume more authority during this period?

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT 1957 & 1960

Outlaws unfair registration or literacy requirementsRelied on court injunctions to limit voter

discrimination

CIVIL RIGHTS ACT 1964

1965: MLK leads a voting registration driveMet with violent resistance by whites, including law

enforcementTwo civil rights workers murderedPrompts Lyndon Johnson to further action ht tp : / /www.you tube .com/watch?v=ALyk8xOc5ZU

SELMA, ALABAMA

Applies to all elections Challenged poll tax Outlawed literacy tests Preclearance by DOJ

Expanded over the years to include “language minorities”

VOTING RIGHTS ACT 1965