Objective: Explain the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Unit 10 Day 8 Quote: “Their cause must be our cause, too. It is not just Negroes, but all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome.” - President Lyndon B. Johnson Objective: Explain the Voting Rights Act of 1965 State Standards: Strand 1 Concept 9 PO 2, 3

We Shall Overcome At the beginning of 1965, a major push was made to register African Americans to vote in Selma, Alabama. Over half the city’s population was African American but only 3% of them were registered to vote.

Even though over 2,000 demonstrators had been arrested the movement did not receive publicity until a demonstrator, Jimmie Lee Jackson, was shot and killed in February.

After this event, Dr. King organized a 50 Mile March from Selma to the state capital, Montgomery. Police attacked the demonstrators with tear gas, clubs, and whips.

President Johnson was outraged at the treatment of the demonstrators and asked Congress for a swift passage of a new voting rights act. Johnson also sent federal protection for the marchers.

Ten weeks later Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 Ten weeks later Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law eliminated literacy tests and allowed federal examiners the right to register people to vote. The percent of African American voters tripled after this law.