CH. 6-3 SUFFRAGE AND CIVIL RIGHTS

AMERICAN GOVERNMENT

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE RIGHT TO VOTE?

Southerners of the 1960s suffered arrest, beatings, shocks with electric cattle prods, even death in the name of the right to vote.

Their efforts inspired a nation and led to large-scale federal efforts to secure suffrage for African-Americans and other minority groups

THE XVTH AMENDMENTXVth Amendment ratified in 1870The right to vote cannot be denied to any

citizen of the USA because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

This amendment was not self-executingCongress had to act to enforce the

amendment but for almost 90 years the federal government paid little attention to the voting rights of African Americans

1870-1960s—African-Americans systematically were kept from the polls

White supremacists’ main weapon was violence

They also used subtle threats and social pressure

People fired from jobs for registering to vote or denied the family credit at the local store

Formal “legal” devices were used—literacy tests

White officials regularly manipulated these tests to disenfranchise the African-Americans

Registration laws also served to prohibit African-American voting

GERRYMANDERING—the practice of drawing electoral district lines (the boundaries of the geographic area from which a candidate is elected to a public office) in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group or party

In response to the civil rights campaign of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Congress decided to act to remove prohibition of African-American voting.

EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATIONCivil Rights Act of 1957Set up the US Civil Rights CommissionThe commission inquired into claims of voter

discriminationThe Act also gave the attorney general the power

to seek federal court orders to prevent interference with a person’s right to vote in any federal election

Civil Rights Act of 1960Provided for the appointment of federal voting

referees—help qualified people register and vote.

THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964Broader and more effective than previous

lawsOutlawed discrimination in several areas,

especially job-related mattersForbids the use of any voter registration or

literacy requirement in an unfair or discriminatory manner

Relied on judicial action to overcome racial barriers

INJUNCTION—a court order that either compels (forces) or restrains (limits) the performance of some act by a private individual or public official

Violating an injunction amounts to contempt of court, punishable by a fine and/or prison time

Selma, AL—Dr. King mounts a voter registration drive in early 1965

He wanted to focus national attention on the issue of African-American voting rights

Registration was met by insults and violence by white civilians, city and county police, and state troopers

Two civil rights workers were murdered and many others beaten

Much of the drama was shown on national TVPresident Johnson urged Congress to pass stronger

legislation. Congress responded quickly.

THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965Made the XVth Amendment, at long last, a truly

effective part of the Constitution.This act applied to ALL elections held anywhere in this

country—state and local, as well as federal.The law lasted for 5 years but was extended in 1970,

1975, 1982, and most recently 2006.The most recent law is in effect for 25 years and will

expire or need to be renewed by 2031.Attorney General challenged the constitutionality of

remaining state poll-tax laws.The law also suspended the use of literacy tests in

states

PRECLEARANCEThe process of reviewing election-related laws

before they were allowed to go into effect.Many court cases have occurred since preclearanceThese cases show that the laws most likely to run

afoul of preclearance are those that make these changes:

1) the location of polling places; 2) the boundaries of election districts; 3) deadlines in the election process; 4) from ward or district elections to at-large elections; 5) the qualifications candidates must meet in order to run for office

AMENDMENTS TO THE ACT1970 amendment extended the law for 5

yearsNo law could use literacy as a the basis for

voting requirements1975—law extended again for 7 years until

19821982—law extended for 25 year to 2007

THE END