Dr. King watching Johnson's address (Time)
What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause too. Because it's not just Negroes, but it's all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome. |
After media coverage brought widespread awareness to the plight of Southern blacks, lawmakers had to act. President Johnson signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act on August 10th, outlawing literacy tests and poll taxes and taking special measures to ensure the right to vote for blacks. "In less than a year, Dallas County [Selma] added more than 8,500 new black registrants to the voting polls." (Partridge)
Dr. King shakes Johnson's hand before signing (Khan Academy)
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act (Politico)
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