LiberationPrimary SourceFBA Grio Verified Source

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Name: The New Negro
Author: Alain Locke (ed.)

United States Congress

1965

Liberation

3-Minute Summary

Prohibited discriminatory voting practices that had disenfranchised Black voters for nearly a century. Section 5 required jurisdictions with histories of discrimination to obtain federal preclearance before changing voting laws — a provision gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013.

Why It Matters

The Voting Rights Act restored what the 15th Amendment had promised in 1870. Its partial dismantling in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) demonstrates that civil rights gains are not permanent without continued vigilance.

Important Passages

'No voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure shall be imposed or applied by any State or political subdivision to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color.'

Where to Read

Congress.gov (free)

Verified: National Archives, Congress.gov

Key People

Lyndon B. Johnson

John Lewis

Fannie Lou Hamer

Selma marchers

Key Policies & Events

Section 5 preclearanceLiteracy test banFederal examinersShelby County v. Holder (2013)

Related FBA Leaders

John Lewis Fannie Lou Hamer

The New Negro

Alain Locke (ed.)

1925

Culture

3-Minute Summary

The defining anthology of the Harlem Renaissance, edited by philosopher Alain Locke. Includes essays, poetry, fiction, and visual art by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, and others. Locke's introduction articulates the philosophy of the New Negro movement.

Why It Matters

This anthology announced the Harlem Renaissance to the world and defined its intellectual program. It is the primary document of the most important cultural movement in FBA history.

Important Passages

'In Harlem, Negro life is seizing upon its first chances for group expression and self-determination.'

Where to Read

Available at public libraries; partial text at Project Gutenberg

Key People

Alain Locke

Langston Hughes

Zora Neale Hurston

Countee Cullen

Jean Toomer

Key Policies & Events

Great MigrationHarlem Renaissance

All 100 Readings Culture Collection