Today marks the 55th anniversary of the #VotingRightsAct. Today we honor Civil Rights leaders such as Rep. John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., Hosea Williams, Amelia Boynton, Annie Lee Cooper, and many more who fought toward a better world. #ItsAboutUs ✊🏾 
In 1866, The Civil Rights Act granted citizenship and it was reinforced by the 14th amendment in 1868. Although citizenship inherently includes the right to vote (for men only at this time) discrimination continues.
The 15th Amendment passed February 26, 1869, and ratified February 3, 1870, prohibited voting rights discrimination on the basis of race. However, Black women are still not allowed to vote during this time.
Even after the passing of the 15th Amendment, many legislatures, especially in Southern states, used literacy tests, poll taxes and other discriminatory practices to disenfranchise Black voters.
In 1964, the 24th Amendment passed resulting in poll taxes being outlawed. Citizens cannot be denied their right to vote because they are unable to pay a poll tax.
February 1965, in Marion, Alabama, an Alabama state trooper shot 26 year old, Jimmie Lee Jackson, in the stomach as he tried to protect his mother from being beaten at Mack's Café after being met with violence by state troopers for peacefully protesting. He died 8 days later.
March 1965, John Lewis, Hosea Williams, Amelia Boynton, along with other Civil Rights activists, led a crowd of 500+ people across Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama and faced brutal attacks by state troopers which caught national attention. A day known as Bloody Sunday.
Selma to Montgomery March: In 1965, 2,000 protesters led by Martin Luther King Jr., held three protest marches along the 54-mile highway from Selma, Alabama to the state capital of Montgomery to raise awareness on obstacles faced by Black people to register to vote.
The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon B. Johnson. By 1969, the number of eligible Black voters increased from 23% to 61%.
