Getting Started
There are a number of organizations that commemorate the spirit and history of the Voting Rights Act, and the significance of its legacy in the United States. While some memorialize the social and politically charged journey that led to the Act's inception, others remain actively dedicated to the ongoing struggle to safeguard the rights that were guaranteed to them when the measure passed in 1965. The totality of their efforts strive to educated the American public and preserve citizens' fundamental rights.
A minister joins hands with children as they walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge during the Selma to Montgomery march.
Source: Wikimedia Commons Images
Notable Organizations
American Civil Liberties Union has a section of their website dedicated to the current issues and recent developments concerning voting rights.
Brennan Center for Justice is a nonpartisan institute at the NYU School of Law that seeks to raise awareness about and improve the conditions of our systems of democracy and justice.
Civil Rights Movement Veterans commemorates the passage of the Voting Rights Act through a cultural perspective that incorporates photo albums, first-hand accounts, letters, poetry, and audio recordings.
Fair Elections Legal Network employs attorneys and advocates to educate the public on state-specific voting regulations and legislation. It also features a Campus Vote Project, which encourages college students to vote.
Miller Center is an organization affiliated with the University of Virginia that specializes in public policy and American political history. It contains a wealth of historical resources related to the Voting Rights Act.
MIT Election Data + Science Lab supports advances in election science by collecting, analyzing, and sharing core data and findings. They also aim to build relationships with election officials and others to help apply new scientific research to the practice of democracy in the United States.
National Voting Rights Museum and Institute is located in Selma, Alabama and it honors the legacy of the measure through events, galleries, and exhibits.
U.S. Department of Justice Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of the federal laws that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts.
Vote 411 is an organization founded by the League of Women Voters that provides current information on polling place location, absentee ballots, early voting options, registration deadlines, and voter ID requirements.
Voting Rights Lab is a nonpartisan organization accelerating the movement for free and fair elections through expert analysis, research, and innovations. The organization tracks election-related legislation and current law in all 50 states and D.C. in our State Voting Rights Tracker.