Question
n a one paragraph response, identify at least two pieces of legislation and/or Supreme Court rulings and explain how they made the United States a more free and equal society during the 1960s.
answer this question using this information and only this During his presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy had shared his support for civil rights, and he won the African American vote. His strongest focus was on securing the voting rights of African Americans. Kennedy feared the loss of support from southern white Democrats, but he still focused on the passage of a constitutional amendment outlawing poll taxes, which southern states used to keep African Americans from voting. In January 1964, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment was finally ratified. It specifically prohibited the imposition of poll taxes on voters. Poverty would no longer serve as an obstacle to voting.
In response to violence on college campuses where African Americans tried to enroll, as well as to violent discrimination that had been increasing throughout the South, Kennedy started work on a bill that would help end segregation in education. It would also prohibit segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in employment. Kennedy would not live to see this bill pass. Instead, it became law during Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Johnson also introduced a bill in Congress that would remove obstacles for African American voters. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited states and local governments from passing laws that discriminated against voters based on their race. Literacy tests and other barriers to voting that had kept ethnic minorities from the polls were outlawed. Following the passage of the act, a quarter of a million African Americans registered to vote. By 1967, the majority of African Americans were registered voters. Johnson’s final piece of civil rights legislation was the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which prohibited discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, or religion.
answer this question using this information and only this During his presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy had shared his support for civil rights, and he won the African American vote. His strongest focus was on securing the voting rights of African Americans. Kennedy feared the loss of support from southern white Democrats, but he still focused on the passage of a constitutional amendment outlawing poll taxes, which southern states used to keep African Americans from voting. In January 1964, the Twenty-Fourth Amendment was finally ratified. It specifically prohibited the imposition of poll taxes on voters. Poverty would no longer serve as an obstacle to voting.
In response to violence on college campuses where African Americans tried to enroll, as well as to violent discrimination that had been increasing throughout the South, Kennedy started work on a bill that would help end segregation in education. It would also prohibit segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in employment. Kennedy would not live to see this bill pass. Instead, it became law during Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration as the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Johnson also introduced a bill in Congress that would remove obstacles for African American voters. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited states and local governments from passing laws that discriminated against voters based on their race. Literacy tests and other barriers to voting that had kept ethnic minorities from the polls were outlawed. Following the passage of the act, a quarter of a million African Americans registered to vote. By 1967, the majority of African Americans were registered voters. Johnson’s final piece of civil rights legislation was the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which prohibited discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, or religion.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
During the 1960s, two significant pieces of legislation that advanced freedom and equality in the United States were the Twenty-Fourth Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in January 1964 eliminated poll taxes, which southern states had used to disenfranchise African American voters, ensuring that poverty would no longer obstruct their right to vote. Additionally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 furthered these aims by prohibiting discriminatory voting practices, such as literacy tests, that had historically barred ethnic minorities from participating in elections. This landmark legislation led to a significant increase in African American voter registration, ultimately fostering a more equitable political landscape. Together, these measures marked crucial steps toward dismantling systemic barriers and promoting civil rights, contributing to a more free and equal society in the United States.