The United States passed the Voting Rights Act in 1965. This landmark legislation aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in voting, particularly in the Southern states, where Jim Crow laws had effectively disenfranchised African American voters since the late 19th century. The Act outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory practices, empowering the federal government to oversee voter registration and elections in areas with a history of racial discrimination. Its passage marked a significant victory in the Civil Rights Movement, strengthening the democratic process and ensuring that all citizens, regardless of race, had the right to participate in elections.