John,
Today, on Juneteenth, we celebrate the end of chattel slavery in the United States – and the long fight for equal rights and justice that has taken place since.
On this day in 1865, 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were finally liberated – over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. This marks one of our nation’s most important strides towards a democracy where everyone counts, but we must also acknowledge that this work is still incomplete.
Black Americans continue to face discrimination, inequity, and barriers at the ballot box. And, despite voting overwhelmingly to recognize Juneteenth, Congress has failed to pass legislation to fight voter suppression and protect Black Americans' voting rights.
That’s why, this Juneteenth, we’re calling on Congress to back up their support for this day with action. Join us in urging Congress to finally pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to expand and protect voting rights.
Just a few years after the first Juneteenth, the 15th Amendment was ratified and made it illegal – on paper – to deprive anyone of their voting rights. But, in reality, Black Americans continued to have their vote denied for a century after through intimidation, poll taxes, literacy tests, and other discriminatory practices.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of our nation’s proudest civil rights achievements, was passed to stop these targeted voter suppression tactics and to protect the right to vote for all. Since then, it has stopped thousands of dangerous anti-voter provisions from taking effect across the country.
But, in 2013, the Supreme Court decimated the Voting Rights Act – giving anti-voter politicians a green light to pass unjust, racist, anti-voter bills through state legislatures and leaving a voting rights void that Congress has failed to fill.
The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act – named after the late civil rights icon – would fill this void by restoring and modernizing the comprehensive protections initially established by the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Tell Congress: honor this monumental day by restoring the Voting Rights Act – and ensuring every American can have a say in our democracy.
John, I hope you have a happy Juneteenth,
Jay Young, Senior Director of Voting & Democracy
and the team at Common Cause
