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Crisis Assistance Ministry

Crisis Assistance Ministry

Charlotte, NC

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August Is Voter History Month

It’s August, the month traditionally associated with the end of summer and back-to-school activities. But did you know that August is also noteworthy for its pivotal role in the history of voting rights in the United States?

August 14, 2021

It’s August, the month traditionally associated with the end of summer and back-to-school activities. But did you know that August is also noteworthy for its pivotal role in the history of voting rights in the United States? In fact, over the years, so much landmark legislation has been passed in August that it is unofficially known as Voter History Month. 

On August 18, 1920, Congress ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, giving women the right to vote. In practice, though, many women were denied access to the polls despite the new law. Native American women did not receive the right to vote until decades after the passage of the 19th Amendment. Although Native Americans were granted full citizenship in 1924, individual states determined whether they could vote. It wasn’t until 1948, when Arizona changed its Constitution to grant voting rights to Native Americans and other states quickly followed suit, that our nations’ original inhabitants enjoyed this fundamental right. 

Deeply ingrained racist practices also meant that Black women and men were often denied the opportunity to exercise their voting rights. Black men had been legally able to vote since the passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870, but intimidation and suppression of their votes were rampant. Black women experienced the same discrimination once they also had the legal right to vote. 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at the March on Washington, August 28, 1963. Photo courtesy of The LIFE Picture Collection. 

Another important August event in voter history took place on August 28, 1963, when 250,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to draw attention to the inequities experienced by Black Americans. The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his soaring “I Have a Dream” speech. While not technically a voters’ rights event, the march catapulted civil rights issues into the national consciousness, which ultimately led to the most significant August day in voter history to date. 

On August 6, 1965, the Voting Rights Act became the law of the land, and non-white voters finally had the legal recourse necessary to fight discriminatory voting laws. 

Considered one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal for local or state governments to impose any practices that would disproportionately restrict Black Americans’ access to the polls. 

The act provided for federal oversight of jurisdictions in which less than half of non-white adults were registered to vote, authorized the attorney general of the United States to investigate the use of poll taxes, and banned literacy tests. 

However, enforcement of the Voting Rights Act was inadequate in some areas, such as the South, where the Black population was larger and potentially more politically powerful. The act has been modified several times through the years, initially expanding its protections and then, more recently, limiting them. In 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that federal oversight of the voting laws in specific jurisdictions was no longer constitutional. 

This August finds us at another crossroads in voter history. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, so far in 2021, at least 18 states have enacted dozens of laws restricting access to voting and hundreds of other measures are under debate across the country. 

Meanwhile, following the recent Supreme Court decision that allows new limits on what remains of the Voting Rights Act, Congress grapples with voter-related legislation. The For the People Act of 2021 passed the House of Representatives but was blocked in the Senate. Its proposals include automatic voter registration and national standards for mail-in ballots. 

Another bill, known as the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, is currently under consideration in the Senate. One key component is that the civil rights division of the Justice Department would need to grant approval for certain types of election law changes at the state and local level.  

Voter History Month is the ideal time to reflect on the importance of free and fair elections. After all, the right to vote is the hallmark of democracy. The key to preserving the strength of our nation is ensuring that we all have equal access to the polling place. 

Filed Under: Advocacy Tagged With: constitutional amendment, voter history day, voter registration, voter rights

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These community-minded Deltas celebrated Founder's Day last week by inspecting and preparing donated goods for Free Store shoppers. With their help, families shopping free of charge will find essentials to help them live with dignity this week.

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The King Center's theme for MLK Day 2023 is "It Start's With Me: Cultivating A Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems." Fifty-five years after his death, we still see the impacts of unjust systems every day at Crisis Assistance Ministry.  Read more in this weekend's blog (link in bio)

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Crisis Assistance Ministry will be closed on Monday, January 16 in observance of  Martin Luther King Day. The office will be closed to all customers, volunteers, staff, and donors. Typical hours resume on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.

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Families in Charlotte, and across the country, are struggling to make ends meet. Inflation has outpaced wage growth. People are working harder than ever but still falling behind on rent and utilities. People need more money. But could we use policy to get more money into the hands of those who need it the most? This week's blog takes a look at the potential for Guaranteed Basic Income here in the Queen City. (Link in bio)
📷 courtesy of @stocktondemo

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Just one more day before we're back to "normal." So, @CrisisAssistMin is closed January 2, 2023,  and will return to typical business hours tomorrow, January 3.
(Financial assistance 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Free Store by appointment 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Donation drop off 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

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Wishing you hope, warmth, & light in the new year and beyond.
(P.S. @crisisassistmin will be closed tomorrow, January 2, and reopen with typical hours on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.)

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"Everybody wants to have that light shine."
Nikki shares what the holidays mean to her family as we reach the end of the year.  Looking back, she's grateful for the help of the community to get her through a financial crisis and back on her feet moving toward economic mobility.
Thousands more families will seek that same kind of help -- to stay safely housed, to keep utilities flowing, to provide clothing and household goods, and to rebuild financial stability -- in 2023.
Visit our quick links to learn more and to make a tax-deductible year-end gift to help more of our neighbors in the coming year.
Oh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Crisis Assistance Ministry wishes the hope, warmth, and light of home to all those who celebrate Kwanzaa this week.

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This snack ministry was a little different. Ashley (a.n.outlaw)  from @nachoaveragetruck wanted to provide hot food to neighbors seeking financial assistance or waiting to shop for essentials in the Free Store. So, she brought freshly made beef or veggie burritos and a caring smile to @CrisisAssistMin on a very cold day. It's so inspiring when the community steps up in BIG and small ways.

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