A
historical perspective
Numerous stories were published last week to commemorate
the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Appropriately
most focused on the sacrifice of those who were involved in the
civil rights movement. Unfortunately, the historical significance
of this act may go unnoticed because too many view it as a tempest
in a teapot.
An African American would have to be older than 58 to have had personal
experience of the circumstances that launched a drive for the law.
Since only eight percent of blacks are 65 or older, that is a small
number to have been personally aware of the disenfranchisement of
blacks back then.
Much of the egregious political injustice in the South has been
corrected many years ago. When one considers that one-third of the
black population are 18 or younger, there is a small population
that has experienced the voting violations of the past. Yet it is
important for all African Americans to understand the significance
of the Voting Rights Act in the struggle for freedom.
In order to place the act in proper historical perspective it is
necessary to return to the days of the founding of the nation. The
debate then was about the structure of government. How would the
power be divided between the executive, legislative and judiciary
branches? Of equal importance was the scope of the power of the
states towards each other and as members of a federal government.
It seems to have been generally understood that the franchise would
be restricted to white men with property. At any rate, the founding
fathers did not see fit to include in the U.S. Constitution a provision
to grant the right to vote to U.S. citizens. Control over elections
remained with the states.
The emancipation of slaves in 1865 created a political problem.
Throughout the south the basic unit of government was the county.
In many counties freedmen constituted the majority population. If
the blacks were all permitted to vote they would clearly cost the
old regime.
The first strategy was to assert that while blacks might no longer
be slaves, they were still not American citizens. The 14th Amendment
ended that argument in 1868. Section 1 states: “All persons
born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof, are citizens of the United States and the states wherein
they reside.”
Two years later they 15th Amendment was passed to protect voting
rights. Section 1 states: “The 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.”
Little changed because the election mechanism was still controlled
by the states, some of which enacted barriers such as poll taxes,
grandfather clauses, and complex qualification tests. When these
failed whites were not reluctant to resort to violence and terror.
Congress had the authority to intervene under Section 2 of the 15th
Amendment but failed to do so until 1965. Portions of the Voting
Rights Act expires in 2007, but it must be renewed to enable the
federal government to intervene to prevent racially discriminatory
redistricting and the denial of suffrage to those with a limited
understanding of English.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial discrimination in employment,
education and places of public accommodation. The Voting Rights
Act of 1965 enabled the federal government to eliminate racial discrimination
in voting process. With passage of these two acts, African Americans
became legally free for the first time.
The task now is to attain justice and equality, much more complex
objectives.
|
Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher
Bay State Banner |
