Voting Rights Act 

One of the most important pieces of legislation passed during the Civil Rights Movement, the 1965 Voting Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. As the suppression and disenfranchisement of African-American voters had been commonplace throughout the South following Reconstruction, the Voting Rights Act aimed to prevent State and local governments from passing laws to that end. It also established the precedent that any locality seeking to implement a change to voting procedure must first consult the Attorney General or the United States District Court of D.C. The act is widely considered to be a great success, linked to greatly increased voter turnout for African-Americans and increased momentum for the Civil Rights Movement.