CH 6 Sect.3
1. set up the US civil rights commission 2. gave attorney general the power to see federal court orders to prevent interference with any person's right to vote in federal elections 3. in 1960 it added federal voting referees to help people register for federal elections anywhere they found discrimination.
Civil Rights Act of 1957
the state can show the US district court in the district of columbia that it has not applied any voting procedure in a discriminatory way for at least 10 years.
how can a state "bail-out" of a preclearance provision?
Preclearance
mandated by the voting rights act of 1965, the prior approval by the justice department of changes to or new election laws by certain states
injunction
a court order that either compels or restrains the performance of some act by a private individual or by a public official. the violation of an injunction is a crime punishable by fine or imprisonment.
1. made the 15th amendment a trully effective part of the constitution. 2. applied to all elections, held anywhere in the US. 3. was originally expected to be in effect for five years, but it's life has been extended by congress. 4. authorize the attorney general to appoint voting examiners in any state or county to help register voters and oversee conduct of elections.
voting rights act of 1965
1. lack of enforcement of the 15th amendment by the federal goverment. 2. violence and threats by white supremacist 3. social pressures 4. literacy tests 5. registration laws 6. poll taxes 7. gerrymandering 8. white primaries
what other means were used to disenfranchise african american men from voting?
white primaries and gerrymandering
what two tactics used to disenfrancise african american men from voting were outlawed by the supreme court?
to ensure that african american men could vote
what was the 15th amendment clearly intended to do?
to inquire into claims of voter discrimination
what was the job of the US civial rights commission?
extended the law for additional years.
Amendments to the Voting rights act
1. location of polling places 2. bounderies of election districts 3. deadlines in the election process 4. from ward or district election to at large election 5. the qualifications candidates must meet in order to run for office.
Examples of the kind of changes that will not pass the preclearance requirement
1. outlaws discrimination in job related matters. 2. forbids the use of voter registration and literacy requirements in any unfair or discriminatory manner. 3. used injunctions to fight discrimination. 4. used judicial action to overcome racial barriers. 5. attempts to use the laws in the south were met with violence by white citizens and officials.
civial rights act of 1964
1. civil rights act of 1957 2. civil rights act of 1964 3. voting rights act of 1965 4. amendments to the voting rights act in 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992.
identify the major civil rights laws enacted since 1950
gerrymandering
the drawing of electoral district lines to the advantage of a party or group