From The Hill to the Top

I recently reflected on the gravity of this great month that seems to be passing us by. Looking back and thinking about how much easier my life is compared to those of only a generation ago, I wanted to highlight an important piece of legislation which has given us the ability to function as equal members of American society.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has its roots in the 15th amendment to the Constitution, which gave African Americans the right to vote.

Signed into law by President Johnson, the act prohibits states from imposing any "voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure ... to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color." This landmark piece of national legislation outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the United States.

Before this law was enacted, African Americans were denied the right to vote in local and national elections. They were unable to use their rights to change the Jim Crow post-slavery atmosphere to which they were subjected.

Every few years, certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act need to be re-evaluated and renewed according to today's standards. A few years ago, controversy arose over this legislation, and many people took this update process as a threat to their right to vote.

Although it was annoying to get relentless spam emails from my family members about their misinformed views that black people couldn't vote anymore, it was good to see a renewed passion in the African-American community around a key issue.

This is the passion I am proud to see in many of our people, especially in the Howard community. We can never forget the power we have in numbers, whether it is through the ballot or through occupation.

Today we may face our own challenges to the Voting Rights Act. Nationwide, republicans are creating more stringent laws, which could function as the very same "prerequisites" that The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed and thus could negatively affect voter turnout, especially in historically "disenfranchised" communities.

For example, plans for stricter voter identification laws that would require voters to present a photo ID before casting their ballots could discourage minorities, many of whom are less likely to have photo or government IDs, from voting.

The Justice Department struck down such a requirement in South Carolina in December after research found that non-whites were not as likely to have government- issued IDs, such as driver's licenses, on the grounds that such legislation could be discriminatory.

Just as The Voting Rights Act was ultimately renewed by Congress with bipartisan support and signed into law by President Bush in 2006--give him some credit. He had to do something right during those eight years--with continued diligence and participation, we can ensure that legislation that has the potential to limit the rights that our ancestors fought so hard for are not minimized or unnecessarily complicated.

Stay informed about the changes happening in your home state. Do not allow anyone to alter your ability to vote.

As this month draws to a close, I encourage you to find a hero, an action, a piece of legislation in our past, which speaks to you and encourages you to connect the past to the present. Do not coast through Howard University without doing your part to preserve and protect our futures.

Austin Edwards is a senior political science major from Trenton, N. J.