TIMELINE OF VOTING RIGHTS
1965- President Johnson signs the VRA, permanently barring barriers to political participation by racial and ethnic minorities.
1972- Barbara Jordan of Houston and Andrew Young of Atlanta become the first African Americans elected to Congress from the South since Reconstruction.
1982- President Ronald Reagan signs a 25-year extension of the VRA
2006- Congress extends Section 5 of the VRA for an additional 25 years. Section 5 requires certain jurisdictions with a history of voting discrimination to get federal pre-approval for voting changes.
2011- A record number of restrictions to voting are introduced in state legislatures nationwide, including photo ID requirements, cuts to early voting and hurdles to voter registration.
2013- The U.S. Supreme Court strikes down Section 5 of the VRA in Shelby v. Holder.
2015- The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals finds Texas' Voter ID law to be discriminatory.
The fight for equality continues…