The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of legislation in Black history that aimed to combat racial discrimination in voting practices in the United States. The Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 6, 1965, at a time when many Southern states were using discriminatory tactics such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote.

The Voting Rights Act prohibited these discriminatory practices and authorized the federal government to oversee voter registration and elections in jurisdictions with a history of racial discrimination. The Act also included important provisions such as outlawing literacy tests and providing for federal oversight of election practices in states with a history of racial discrimination.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 had a significant impact on increasing the political participation of African Americans and other minority groups in the United States. It played a crucial role in helping to secure and protect the voting rights of all citizens, regardless of race, and remains one of the most important pieces of civil rights legislation in American history.