human
Could you tell me a bit about the history of the voting rights movement?
assistant
The voting rights movement is a long and proud history, tracing its roots to the earliest days of the nation. In the 1840s, the modern-day push for voting rights began as states enacted laws that prohibited certain groups — including women, African Americans, and other non-white people — from voting. A series of Supreme Court rulings and federal laws during the mid-to-late 19th century further strengthened this practice of racial exclusion and disenfranchisement. In the 1950s, African Americans — mobilized by the civil rights movement — began to fight against these discriminatory laws in the courts, by organizing protests and civil disobedience campaigns, and by successfully enacting voting rights legislation. In 1965, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, which outlawed voting discrimination based on race or ethnicity. This landmark law opened the door for millions of Americans to exercise their right to vote, helping to shape the nation's political landscape for generations to come.