"The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it."

- Rep. John Lewis, 2020

The right to vote in the United States has a complicated history. Up until 1870, only white property-owning men could vote. U.S. democracy looked different during its first 100 years. It was based on racial, gender, and economic privilege. It also was reinforced by the institution of race-based chattel slavery. Since the end of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, African Americans continued to fight for full rights of citizenship. This includes the right to vote. The 15th Amendment declares that states could not deny the right to vote “on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” It was ratified in 1870. However, many state governments passed laws to keep African Americans from voting. They included tactics like poll taxes and literacy tests. This was to get around the 15th Amendment’s ban on race-based voting laws. Other tactics included fraud and intimidation.

These same tactics disenfranchised Latino communities in different parts of the country. Pioneering organizations like the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), founded in 1929, fought for Mexican American civil rights, including enfranchisement. Puerto Ricans living on the mainland have fought for representation since before 1900. The first court case on Puerto Rican voting took place in New York in 1899. Organizations like the Legion of Voters and National Association for Puerto Rican Civil Rights advocated against voter discrimination in the 1960s.

African Americans, Latinas/os/xs, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and others have protested to raise awareness about voter suppression. A protest is a way for people to share their beliefs about a person, place, thing, or idea. People can share those beliefs through a statement or action. Public marches and rallies are examples of protests. Writing letters, singing songs, refusing to eat, or using violence are other types of protest. Through protest and advocacy, women and communities of color have been able to secure voting rights. This opens the door to elect officials that represent the communities they serve.

Together, we will explore the Voting Rights Act and some of its later amendments. We will also look at the Supreme Court Case Shelby County Alabama v. Holder. We will examine how this legislation and court decisions directly impact communities of color and their right to the ballot. We will briefly look at how our vote helps elect officials at various levels, including the presidency.

This Learning Lab features art, videos, photographs, and protest signs. It also has thinking routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. They will help create conversations around the pictures or protest banners found in this collection. Worksheets from the Smithsonian Latino Center's Cultural Expressions: Art for Social Change can be found at the end of this collection. They are available for elementary, middle school, and high school students. Caregivers or teachers can use the questions found within the activities to create responsive social change protest signs and art.