In theory, the fundamental premise of American democracy is “one man (or person), one vote.” Under the original concept of Jeffersonian Democracy, in most states access to the franchise was limited to White males who owned at least a fifty-acre plot of land. Towards the end of the 18th century and early into the 19th century, states began lifting the property and education requirements for White males. African Americans were legally granted the right to vote with the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1870. Women were granted the right to vote with the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Even though the franchise had become constitutionally protected for African Americans, in many states, especially in the South and mid-West, African Americans faced state-enforced systemic disenfranchisement. Article I, Section 4, Clause 1, of the Constitution known as the “Elections Clause,” gives state legislatures the power to prescribe the “Times, Places, and Manner” of holding elections for senators and representatives. There are other constitutional provisions that address presidential elections.
For decades state-enforced, systemic disenfranchisement was the order of the day in many states across the country. Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. These laws affected all aspects of everyday life for African Americans, from impacting the ability to go to school, access to housing, employment, travel and access to public accommodations to voting. The implementation of literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses and direct personal physical intimidation were all tools used to keep African Americans from voting.
Congress and the Supreme Court came to the rescue (or so it was thought) with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The 1964 Act outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and eliminated many of the voter discrimination tactics that had been used to suppress the African American vote. The 1965 Act prohibited racial discrimination in voting and empowered the federal government to oversee state elections. The 1965 Act is considered by many to be the most effective piece of federal civil rights legislation ever enacted because it changed the relationship between the federal and state governments relative to voting.
As America celebrates the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 it is important to realize that it and other acts before it are under attack. These acts primarily deal with the processes or “mechanics” of voting, not the “business” of electoral politics.
Listeners to my programs ask, “does my vote matter” and “what do I have to do to bring about change?” Yes, your vote does matter, but voting is not enough. Too many in the African American community continue to vote for representatives who are paid by outside forces to support issues that are not in the best interest of the community. Simply put, the community does not control the representatives it elects because the community is not paying to play.
Dr. Wilmer Leon is a nationally broadcast radio talk-show host. Author of Politics Another Perspective. Host of the podcast Connecting the Dots w/ Dr. Wilmer Leon. Go to www.wilmerleon.com