The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation in Black history that aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed by the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This legislation was a crucial component of the Civil Rights Movement and a response to widespread voter suppression tactics such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation used to disenfranchise Black voters.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, and it prohibited racial discrimination in voting, authorized federal oversight of voter registration in areas with a history of discriminatory voting practices, and provided for federal intervention in jurisdictions with a documented history of voter suppression. The Act's provisions, particularly the preclearance requirement for changes to voting laws in certain states and jurisdictions with a history of discrimination, helped to increase African American voter registration and political participation significantly.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 played a crucial role in expanding access to the ballot box for Black Americans and other minority groups, leading to increased representation and political power for marginalized communities. The Act has been hailed as one of the most effective civil rights laws in U.S. history, but its protections were weakened by a Supreme Court ruling in 2013 that struck down a key provision, leading to renewed efforts to protect and strengthen voting rights for all Americans.