Voting Rights Act 1965

Posted on September 11, 2025

This exhibit is no longer on display.
It was on view in Phillips Memorial Library from August 2025 to December 2025. While the physical exhibit has concluded, you can still explore its highlights and legacy on this page.

The PC Archives and Special Collections is pleased to share our latest exhibit in honor of Constitution Day on September 17th.

Voting Rights Act 1965 highlights many of the PC ASC’s political and social organization collections.   

The right to vote without threat of violence or prejudicial barriers was central to the American Civil Rights movement. In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution eliminated the use of poll taxes, removing one of the most effective and discriminatory tools used to restrict voting rights of minority and low-income citizens. Six months later, on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. 

A black-and-white photograph of President Lyndon B. Johnson seated at a desk signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He is surrounded by a large group of men, including civil rights leaders and politicians. Martin Luther King Jr. stands near the center, watching Johnson sign the document. The presidential seal and U.S. flags are visible in the background.
Civil Rights leaders and politicians look on as Johnson signs the bill into law. Photo by Yoichi R Okamoto. From the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum/NARA.

The continued efforts of those involved in the Civil Rights movement resulted in Congress passing the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in 1965, which aimed to secure the fundamental rights laid out in the 14th and 15th Amendments. In the years that followed, the Voting Rights Act was reinforced and expanded in 1970, 1975, 1982, and 2006, demonstrating a need for oversight and protection of the constitutional right to vote.  

In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder deemed that some aspects and protections afforded by the VRA were no longer necessary and were unconstitutional. The effect of this decision was swift as many states moved to create more restrictive voting laws, which disproportionately impacted low income and minority voters. Voter rights and election laws continue to be extremely contentious and crucial issues across the country today. 

A collection of mid-1960s civil rights era voting materials, including pamphlets, buttons, and flyers. Items include: an Urban League newspaper announcing a voter registration campaign; a pamphlet titled A Step by Step Plan with footprints on the cover; a flyer with the words “you’ve got the POWER baby – VOTE all the way” illustrated with drawn hands; and a leaflet showing a raised hand making a peace sign next to the word “Vote.” Several campaign buttons are displayed, reading “Vote Baby Vote” and “Freedom Now.”
Urban League Voter Registration Campaigns, ephemera, 1964. The “Vote Baby Vote” and “March to the Ballot Box” initiatives of the National Urban League promoted voter registration through leaflets, radio spots, bumper stickers, and rallies. The grassroots campaigns included volunteers going door to door across more than 60 cities in the U.S. From the Urban League of Rhode Island collection, PC Archives and Special Collections.

This exhibit highlights some of the efforts made in the 1960s which led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act. 

A scanned copy of the official Voting Rights Act of 1965 as passed by the 89th Congress of the United States. The text is densely printed in black ink on cream-colored paper with a red border. At the top are government stamps dated August 1965.
Voting Rights Act of 1965 .An act to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and for other purposes. From the National Archives and Records Administration.

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