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A Resolution commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, recognizing its pivotal role in securing equal voting rights for African Americans and other marginalized groups, and advancing civil rights in the United States.
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WHEREAS, In 1870, the 15th Amendment of the Constitution was confirmed, declaring that “[t]he right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude”; and
WHEREAS, Voting rights of Black people have been debated and suppressed - sometimes with physical violence - since the founding of the United States, when the 1787 Constitutional Convention stated that Black people counted as three-fifths of a human being; and
WHEREAS, Although the 15th Amendment was ratified, discriminatory practices - such as literacy tests and misleading tactics - were created by elected officials in the South to disenfranchise Black voters, exploiting loopholes in the 15th Amendment; and
WHEREAS, Americans recognized the persistence of voter suppression and worked to improve the 15th Amendment to account for the loopholes exploited by Southern elected officials; heroes such as Martin Luther King, John Lewis, and Malcolm X emerged to lead protests and a societal movement to fight this inequality; and
WHEREAS, The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was brought to Congress after years of protesting including the protest in Selma Alabama, commonly known as Bloody Sunday, where four people died. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965; and
WHEREAS, The Act included special coverage counties in states where voter suppression of minorities was especially prominent, special coverage was enacted when less than 50% of the eligible voting population registered to vote, in these areas stricter rules were put in place to avoid voter suppression; and
WHEREAS, The Act significantly improved voter turnout from minority groups-especially African Americans-in the years following its passing, minority representation among elected officials saw massive improvements, primarily in Southern states, including Mississippi, where African American voter registration grew from 7% in 1964 to 67% by 1970. Additionally, the number of African American elected officials in “Special Coverage States” increased from 72 to more than 1,000 within a decade of passage of the Act; and
WHEREAS, The Voting Rights Act was one of the most impactful changes in voting and civil rights since Reconstruction because of the monumental shift it created in U.S. politics, and the Act’s vital role in the fight for racial justice in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act serves as a reminder that we must continue our efforts to improve our country by registering to vote, encouraging others to vote, and ensuring that every election is taken seriously; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, recognizing its pivotal role in securing equal voting rights for African Americans and other marginalized groups, and advancing civil rights in the United States.
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, That as we mark this anniversary, let us reaffirm our commitment to protecting voting rights for all and take action to ensure that every voice is heard, including through voter registration efforts and support for far elections.
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