The major legislation passed in the United States in 1965 to ban discriminatory voting practices was the Voting Rights Act. This landmark legislation aimed to eliminate barriers that prevented African Americans and other minorities from exercising their right to vote, particularly in the Southern states. It outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory voter registration practices, mandated federal monitoring of voter registration in areas with a history of discrimination, and provided for federal oversight of elections in these jurisdictions. The Voting Rights Act was a crucial step in the civil rights movement, ensuring greater accessibility and fairness in the electoral process.