We Shall Overcome – The Voting Rights Act – Oct 23, 25 and 30
by admin - October 23rd, 2018
For two weeks we’re looking at a key piece of legislation that concerns American voting rights and practices, the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Our questions are:
How did we get this law?
What were the historical context and circumstances of its passage?
What are its major provisions? What does it mandate / what does it prohibit?
What was its effect?
What happened to it in 2013?
What is the state of voting rights for the 2018 midterms?
Resources (Optional):
Who’s Allowed to Vote in Georgia? (NYT The Daily, 22 October 2018)
Voting Rights Suppression Efforts, NPR Fresh Air interview 23 October 2018M
State of Voting Rights Litigation ahead of the 2018 Midterms, Brennan Center
“How Shelby County v. Holder Broke America,” Atlantic, 10 July 2018
Reading for Tuesday, Oct 23 = Reader, Day 14 + Waldman p. 125-170
Reading for Thursday, Oct 25 = Reader, day 15 + Waldman p. 229-233
Reading for Tuesday, Oct 30 = Reader Day 16 + listen to Washington Post podcast, “How to Flip the House: The Secret Heist of 2010” (1 hour). If you’re interested in the rest of the series, see here.
Soapbox presenters for Tuesday, Oct 30: Alex, Naema, Brenna, Kasey and Evan
Handouts / Updates on Midterm 2018 Voting Rights Issues
“Federal Judges Order Ohio to Let Purged Voters Back In,” NBC News
“Ahead of the 2018 Election, Texas AG Ramps Up Voter Fraud Prosecution,” WGBH News
“How to Punish Voters,” New York Times Opinion
