United States Government: Democracy in Action

Introduction
The United States Department of Justice notes: "The Voting Rights Act, adopted initially in 1965 and extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, is generally considered the most successful piece of civil rights legislation ever adopted by the United States Congress. The Act codifies and effectuates the 15th Amendment's permanent guarantee that, throughout the nation, no person shall be denied the right to vote on account of race or color." In this activity, you will learn about voter disenfranchisement before the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, and how voter registration changed after it was passed.

Destination Title: Department of Justice Introduction to Federal Voting Rights Laws

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Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			What did Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act end?
2			What did Section 5 and other sections of the Voting Rights Act provide for?
3			After Reconstruction was over, how did whites remove the voting powers that African Americans had gained after the Civil War?
4			What was the African American voter registration rate in Mississippi in 1965? In 1988?
5			Create a poster urging 18-year-olds to register to vote. Provide information on where and how to register, as well as why.