From barriers to ballots: Black women's historical fight and its influence on today's voting rights movement

Presentation Type

Abstract

Faculty Advisor

Thomas Loikith

Access Type

Event

Start Date

25-4-2025 10:30 AM

End Date

25-4-2025 11:29 AM

Description

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) ensured racial minorities the right to vote. However, rulings by the Supreme Court have weakened the VRA, resulting in new restrictions on the right to vote, primarily affecting racial minorities. A constant throughout the struggle for voting rights has been the efforts of African-American women. As the country faces ongoing attacks on voting rights for racial minorities, learning from the experience of African-American women, how can society continue the struggle for voting rights? This is a complex problem that requires interdisciplinary research to achieve a more comprehensive understanding. I used qualitative research methodology (textual analysis) to analyze sources from the disciplines of law and history. I found conflicting disciplinary insights, sought common ground between the insights, and through integration I was arrived at a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. That enables me to suggest resolutions to the problem. My research is not complete, but I conclude that Sections 2, 4(b) and 5 of the VRA should be restored. To this end, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act should be enacted. There should also be educational programs and courses offered or required to explain the role of Black women in voting rights advocacy. Coverage of the role of African-American women in the voting rights movement in elementary and high school curricula, and college-level courses such as a Black women’s studies, could provide a more inclusive historical narrative to serve as a blueprint for the ongoing struggle for voting rights for racial minorities.

Comments

Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.

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Apr 25th, 10:30 AM Apr 25th, 11:29 AM

From barriers to ballots: Black women's historical fight and its influence on today's voting rights movement

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) ensured racial minorities the right to vote. However, rulings by the Supreme Court have weakened the VRA, resulting in new restrictions on the right to vote, primarily affecting racial minorities. A constant throughout the struggle for voting rights has been the efforts of African-American women. As the country faces ongoing attacks on voting rights for racial minorities, learning from the experience of African-American women, how can society continue the struggle for voting rights? This is a complex problem that requires interdisciplinary research to achieve a more comprehensive understanding. I used qualitative research methodology (textual analysis) to analyze sources from the disciplines of law and history. I found conflicting disciplinary insights, sought common ground between the insights, and through integration I was arrived at a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. That enables me to suggest resolutions to the problem. My research is not complete, but I conclude that Sections 2, 4(b) and 5 of the VRA should be restored. To this end, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act should be enacted. There should also be educational programs and courses offered or required to explain the role of Black women in voting rights advocacy. Coverage of the role of African-American women in the voting rights movement in elementary and high school curricula, and college-level courses such as a Black women’s studies, could provide a more inclusive historical narrative to serve as a blueprint for the ongoing struggle for voting rights for racial minorities.