Civics 101

The 1965 Voting Rights Act

Listen Later

It came after decades of discrimination, violence and disenfranchisement -- President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, "an Act to enforce the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States." That Act worked. In the decades since, though, states and the Supreme Court have changed what that Act means and can do.

Our guides to this sweeping legislation are Sonni Waknin of the UCLA Voting Rights Project and Gary May, author of Bending Towards Justice: The Voting Rights Act and the Transformation of American Democracy.

  • CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more!
  • To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.
  • Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast, Outside/In - we think you'll love it!

    • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    Civics 101By NHPR
    • 4.2
    • 4.2
    • 4.2
    • 4.2
    • 4.2

    4.2

    2,523 ratings

    More shows like Civics 101

    View all
    The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

    The NPR Politics Podcast

    25,797 Listeners

    On the Media by WNYC Studios

    On the Media

    9,237 Listeners

    Left, Right & Center by KCRW

    Left, Right & Center

    5,101 Listeners

    Here & Now Anytime by NPR

    Here & Now Anytime

    1,006 Listeners

    Outside/In by NHPR

    Outside/In

    1,483 Listeners

    Something Wild by Dave Anderson, Grace McCulloch

    Something Wild

    120 Listeners

    10 Minute Writer's Workshop by New Hampshire Public Radio

    10 Minute Writer's Workshop

    139 Listeners

    We the People by National Constitution Center

    We the People

    1,104 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    111,948 Listeners

    Up First from NPR by NPR

    Up First from NPR

    56,508 Listeners

    What Next | Daily News and Analysis by Slate Podcasts

    What Next | Daily News and Analysis

    2,400 Listeners

    Bear Brook by NHPR

    Bear Brook

    15,289 Listeners

    Post Reports by The Washington Post

    Post Reports

    5,201 Listeners

    Throughline by NPR

    Throughline

    16,399 Listeners

    Document by NHPR

    Document

    820 Listeners

    Strict Scrutiny by Strict Scrutiny

    Strict Scrutiny

    5,866 Listeners

    Patient Zero by NHPR

    Patient Zero

    1,362 Listeners

    Stranglehold by NHPR

    Stranglehold

    327 Listeners

    Consider This from NPR by NPR

    Consider This from NPR

    6,381 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    15,950 Listeners

    The 13th Step by New Hampshire Public Radio

    The 13th Step

    989 Listeners

    NHPR Books by NHPR

    NHPR Books

    8 Listeners

    N.H. News Recap by NHPR

    N.H. News Recap

    6 Listeners

    The Youth Development Center by NHPR

    The Youth Development Center

    282 Listeners

    Check This Out by New Hampshire Public Radio

    Check This Out

    5 Listeners

    The Final Days of Sgt. Tibbs by NHPR

    The Final Days of Sgt. Tibbs

    125 Listeners

    Death Resulting by NHPR

    Death Resulting

    42 Listeners

    Homegrown NH by New Hampshire Public Radio

    Homegrown NH

    0 Listeners

    Sources & Methods by NPR

    Sources & Methods

    866 Listeners

    Operation Night Cat by New Hampshire Public Radio

    Operation Night Cat

    117 Listeners

    Safe to Drink by NHPR

    Safe to Drink

    3 Listeners