Applied History module 8 final project submission
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Southern New Hampshire University *
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HIS 200
Subject
History
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
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8
Uploaded by UltraTurkeyPerson932
Hadiyah Atkinson
IDS-100: Applied History
Southern New Hampshire University
Aubrey-Underwood Eidson
February 26, 2023
Voting Rights
Introduction
The right to vote wasn't always guaranteed to people of color in America, especially African
Americans. To my knowledge, these people were the most discriminated against at that time.
They fought very hard for their voting rights through protests and marches, as they did not have
civil rights or equal rights as white people. Their voting rights were restricted by literacy tests
and poll taxes, however. Black men were granted the right to vote on February 26, 1869, when
Congress passed the 15th Amendment. The 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919, gave white
women the right to vote, but not black women. On August 18th, 1920, it gave black women the
right to vote.
On March 7, 1965, 25,000 peaceful protestors marched from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery,
Alabama but were attacked and brutally beaten by white state troopers. The bloody bath which
was named Bloody Sunday was streamed on national TV across America so much that Congress
was pushed and persuaded to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson
with the help of civil rights figure Martin Luther King who actively fought and protested for the
rights of African Americans as well.
Revised Thesis Statement:
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon B
Johnson into law. This act sought to eliminate racism against diverse peoples of color at the
voting polls, including African Americans, by banning discriminatory practices and establishing
voting rights for them. The act became a significant milestone in American history because
people of color gained the right to vote.
There are many causes of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including the March on Selma. In this
case, white state troopers attacked peaceful marchers and protesters protesting their right to vote.
On March 7, 1965, white state troopers and police officers attacked and brutally beat them as
they marched from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama's capital. As a result, Congress passed the
Voting Rights Act because of backlash, outrage, and national attention. On March 7, 1965,
peaceful protesters marching for voting rights in Selma, Alabama, were brutally attacked by state
troopers. News of what became known as “Bloody Sunday” swept across America, galvanizing
public opinion behind voting reform and prompting Congress to pass the landmark 1965 Voting
Rights Act (United States House of Representatives 2022).
Another cause would be the murder of voting rights activists in Mississippi. They were shot and
killed by the KKK for advocating for their rights. On June 21, 1964, James Chaney, Michael
Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman were tortured and murdered by the KKK with help from the
deputy sheriff near Philadelphia in Neshoba County, Mississippi ( Zinn Education Project ).
Finally, on August 4, 1964, their bodies were found buried on the secluded property of a
Klansman. All three men had been shot at point blank range and Chaney had been badly beaten.
Nineteen men were indicted on federal charges in the 1967 case. Seven were convicted of
violating the victims' civil rights. None served more than six years (CBS News 2021).
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