This discussion is set for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25.
Come join a discussion with attorneys and scholars about the impact of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This engaging event is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 25) in Weems Auditorium, Room 1078, of the University of Mississippi School of Law.
This act made it easier for blacks to register to vote by eliminating literacy tests, poll taxes and other requirements that were used to restrict black voting. However, in 2013 the Supreme Court struck down a core provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, just as numerous states were passing restrictive voter identification laws that some claim are likely to suppress the turnout of black and poor citizens.
Panelists for the discussion are Brad Pigott, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi; Derrick Johnson, executive director of the Mississippi NAACP; and Michele Alexandre, UM professor of law.