Blog Topic 2

          Martin Luther King Jr. played a pivotal role in regards to civil rights for African Americans. He took part in many voting rights demonstrations advocating for rights and security for the African-American people that chose to vote.The most famous of his demonstrations regarding voting rights were the Selma to Montgomery marches. Many of the rights that MLK Jr. advocated were granted in the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Prior to this act, African-Americans who chose to vote received discrimination, often violent, at the voting polls.These actions that were taken toward African-Americans at the voting polls were leading toward the disenfranchisement of African-Americans in the United States.With the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the authority to regulate who got to vote was given to federal government and was taken away from the state and local governments. This was in attempt to make sure that no one was deprived of their voting rights. Before the Act was put into place, there were instances where literacy tests were required in order to be allowed to participate in the voting process. The test was specifically designed to target the African-American community at the time. These tests were a clear violation of African-American voting rights and are what the VRA was designed to stop and prevent. The VRA required the states, especially those who had previously took part in discriminatory practices, to first receive preclearance or approval from the Department of Justice before implementing any changes or provisions to their voting process.
         The VRA has been renewed several times since it was first enacted, the latest being in 2006. Some may argue that the renewal of this act is no longer necessary. I, however, have to disagree. I see the act as insurance. African- Americans may not currently face discrimination at the polls, but who is to say that it can't happen again to other racial minorities without the VRA. It is also comforting to know that whatever provisions voting centers are trying to implement must first be approved by the federal government. There is a sense of security in the checks and balances that the VRA established.