Episode 15: The History of Voting Rights in America

This script delves into the historical and contemporary challenges of voting rights in the United States, emphasizing the intertwined history with slavery and legislative milestones like the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, as well as the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Despite progress, systemic issues such as mass incarceration, the disenfranchisement of felons, and practices like poll taxes and literacy tests have continuously hindered voting rights. The script also covers the impact of the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which resulted in a resurgence of suppressive voting laws, and stresses the need for new legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to further secure and expand voting rights