Some people ask: Why do we still need the Voting Rights Act? Didn’t we win that fight in 1965? The truth is, discrimination didn’t end—it adapted.

Main Points

• Historic victory: The Voting Rights Act tore down barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes that once silenced Black voices.
• Modern suppression: Today, voter ID laws, polling place closures, and gerrymandered maps still target Black communities. These tactics are quieter, but their impact is just as loud.
• Court setbacks: In 2013, the Supreme Court weakened the Act in Shelby County v. Holder, removing federal oversight. Since then, states have rushed to pass laws that make it harder for Black citizens to vote.
• Representation at stake: Without strong protections, Black voters risk losing fair representation in Congress, state legislatures, and city councils. That means less influence over schools, healthcare, housing, and justice.
• Living safeguard: The Voting Rights Act is not a relic of the past—it is a living safeguard for democracy. Every generation must defend it, because every generation faces new forms of suppression.

Closing So when we say Black Americans still need the Voting Rights Act, we are saying that democracy itself still needs it. Because until every voice is heard, until every vote counts equally, the struggle for freedom is not finished.