How did the Voting Rights Act of 1965 address systemic racism?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation aimed at eliminating the systemic barriers that had been used to disenfranchise African American voters, particularly in the southern states. This Act directly addressed issues such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and other discriminatory practices that were employed to restrict voting access for Black individuals.

By eliminating these barriers to voting, the Act empowered African Americans to participate more fully in the democratic process. It included provisions to monitor voter registration and election processes, ensuring that federal oversight protected the rights of those who had been historically marginalized. The impact of the Voting Rights Act was significant, leading to an increase in Black voter registration and representation in political offices, thus working against the entrenched systemic racism within the electoral system at that time.