March 20, 2015 -
Passed after the infamous "Bloody Sunday" attack on civil rights protesters in Alabama in 1965, the Voting Rights Act successfully blocked hundreds of potentially discriminatory election changes -- until the Supreme Court struck down a key provision in 2013. There's an effort underway in Congress to fix the hobbled law, but what are its chances of passing?
March 20, 2015 -
The Voting Rights Act, which protects minorities' right to vote, also ensures that limited English proficient voters can fully participate in elections. Enforcing those measures will be critical as the South's language minority population grows.
March 20, 2015 -
Fifty years after the Voting Rights Act was introduced in Congress with bipartisan support, House lawmakers are trying to restore a key part of the law that the Supreme Court struck down in 2013. Just one Southern Republican is on board so far: Rep. Carlos Curbelo of South Florida.
March 19, 2015 -
It was 50 years ago this week that President Johnson delivered an address to Congress calling for passage of the Voting Rights Act. The speech is regarded as the best of his administration -- and one of the finest pieces of presidential oratory in history.
March 18, 2015 -
With the public comment period for Atlantic oil and gas drilling set to close on March 30, coastal residents, businesspeople, elected officials and scientists are speaking out in unprecedented numbers against what they see as an excessively risky proposal.
March 16, 2015 -
Founded by civil rights movement leaders including Rep. John Lewis, the Institute for Southern Studies has worked for 45 years to build a better South. Help us continue this vital work for the region by becoming an Institute Sustainer today.
March 13, 2015 -
After a protracted political fight over immigration policy, Congress recently passed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The final bill doesn't repeal the president's recent deportation relief programs, but it appropriates billions of dollars for draconian immigration enforcement.