Read the excerpt from an article written by President Barack Obama, reflecting on the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law-breaking down legal barriers at
the state and local level that had prevented African Americans and others from exercising their constitutional right to
vote.
Because of that law-one of our nation's most influential pieces of legislation - Americans who were previously
disenfranchised and left out of the democratic process were finally able to cast a ballot. The law was designed to
ensure that all American citizens, regardless of the color of their skin, had an equal opportunity to make their voices
heard.
How did the Voting Rights Act expand the ability of Americans to vote?
0 It made barriers like poll taxes and literacy tests that targeted African Americans illegal.
O It required voters to present photo identification before voting in any federal election.
It enforced a rule that federal ballots only be printed in English in every official election.
It mandated that states require all high school seniors to register to vote upon graduation.