Today marks the 55th anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

It was signed into law on August 6, 1965 by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson during the Civil Rights Movement.  The Act is said to be the most effective piece of federal civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country. Source.

However, for various reasons, there are still numerous people of color for whom voting is quite the task.  For some in rural areas, there is an issue with obtaining proper identification as drivers’ license offices have closed.  Others lost their right to vote as a result of crime.

Considering the hardships faced by those in the fight to obtain the right to vote, it is of the utmost importance that everyone heads to the polls in November.

Not only did some give their lives to earn the right for others, but every individual deserves for his voice to be heard.  Voting is but one way to make that happen.

Each year, Bloody Sunday is commemorated in Selma, AL where protesters attempted to march to Montgomery after being obstructed from registering to vote in 1965. Though Rep. John Lewis who led the march recently died, many of those injured in the attack from Alabama State Troopers are still alive.

Let’s honor those who’ve passed on as well as those who remain with our appreciation for their hard work and sacrifice by heading to the polls.

We all push for the election of officials who best represent our thoughts and the things we'd like to see in our lives and in our communities. To not vote indicates an apathetic resolve. It means that one could not care less about the future, a possible change in one's state of affairs, nor about the events of the past that led to obtaining the right to vote.

If you’ve lost your right to vote, it may be restored. Click here for more information.

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