61 years after LBJ celebrates Voting Rights Act at Howard University, Supreme Court murders it

This is an opinion column.

Sixty-one years ago, the nation was on the cusp of a transformation. While Congress remained locked in a heated battle, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was just two months from becoming reality. It followed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a landmark piece of legislation that dismantled the legal framework of Jim Crow segregation.

A Legacy of Legislation

The fight for civil rights wasn't new, even then. Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957, which established the Justice Department's civil rights division—a division now facing intense scrutiny as it operates under the shadow of Donald Trump—and empowered federal prosecutors to block efforts suppressing Black voters in the South. Three years later, Eisenhower signed the Civil Rights Act of 1960, further sharpening the tools available to combat voter suppression.

Today, we find ourselves witnessing a blatant, daylight assault on voter representation, once again centered in the South.

The Howard University Address

On June 4, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson stood at Howard University to address the 97th commencement class. He expressed profound satisfaction that his signature would soon cement the Voting Rights Act into the bedrock of American law, calling it one of the most vital in a series of victories for progress.

That history lives in my own lifetime. Having witnessed seven decades of American evolution, I recognize our progress, but I also see how dangerously far we have backslid.

The Supreme Court's Blow

This week, that hard-won victory suffered a near-fatal blow. The U.S. Supreme Court effectively dismantled the law, allowing Alabama to move forward with congressional maps that a federal court previously deemed racist. These maps were explicitly engineered to strip away the influence of Black voters and ensure Alabama Republicans maintain control over all seven congressional seats, disregarding the representation of voters who elected Reps. Terri Sewell and Shomari Figures.

Under the direction of Gov. Kay Ivey and her allies, the preferences of the electorate have been sidelined. I have previously written on the shortsighted nature of these anti-voting tactics, noting in 2021 and again in 2022 how such measures are fundamentally anti-American.

The Path Forward

LBJ’s words from 1965 still resonate: simply opening the gates of opportunity is not enough if citizens are not truly empowered to walk through them. As we reflect on this moment, we must remember that the fight for democracy was once fueled by the alliance of the courts, Congress, and the people.

The current state of affairs is a wake-up call. The Voting Rights Act may be in critical condition, but the struggle for fair representation is not over. Only those who fear the outcome try to fix the game before it begins, and history shows they often lose anyway.

For those who wish to understand the full context of the era, read President Johnson’s commencement address. Then, keep your eyes on the prize. Vote.