Celebrating the Voting Rights Act

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon created a Council to celebrate the historic anniversary of the passage of this landmark legislation; to educate the community about the importance of voting today; and to activate voters moving forward.

The Council includes honorary co-chairs Vice President Walter Mondale and civil rights leader Dr. Josie Johnson, as well as dozens of Minnesota-based nonprofit, faith, business, and other community leaders.

Throughout July, August and September, the Council will be engaging communities across Minnesota in a series of events, starting July 30th and ending near National Voter Registration Day (September 22). Some event highlights include:

• A ceremony on July 30th that honored the Minnesotans who helped make the Voting Rights Act of 1965 a reality. Honorees included civil rights pioneer Dr. Josie Johnson and the four surviving members of the 1965 Minnesota congressional delegation – Vice President Walter Mondale, Governor Al Quie, U.S. Representative and Mayor Don Fraser, and U.S. Representative Alec Olson. To watch the ceremony in full, click here.
  
  Pioneer Press: As Voting Rights Act anniversary nears, 5 honored for their efforts to pass it
  WCCO [VIDEO]: Minnesota’s 1965 Leaders Honored On 50th Anniversary Of Voting Rights Act
  KARE [VIDEO]: Minnesota marks 50th anniversary of Voting Rights Act
  MinnPost: Remembering the Voting Rights Act — and an era when bipartisanship wasn't uncommon
  Star Tribune: Gallery: Voting rights commemorated
  The UpTake: Voting Rights Act Pioneers Honored – Full Video Of Ceremony
  MPR: Voting Rights Act anniversary prompts calls for action
  Star Tribune: EDITORIAL: 50th anniversary of Voting Rights Act is time to look ahead

• An op-ed in the Star Tribune from Secretary of State Steve Simon encouraging Minnesotans to “be restless in the pursuit of voting access, election integrity and a stronger democracy.” To read the full op-ed, click here.

• A community event on the August 6th anniversary at the Harrison Neighborhood Association in North Minneapolis that highlighted today’s struggle to expand voter rights and reduce barriers for all eligible Minnesotans.
  
  The event, which was kicked off by Congressman Keith Ellison, included a panel discussion on voting rights, powerful performances on today’s struggles to reduce barriers and expand access to voting, reflections from the audience interpreted through improv from The Theater of Public Policy, and a call to action to vote and to be engaged in community efforts. Check out this video with highlights from the event:
  
  

• Secretary Simon announced that September has officially been declared "Voter Registration Month” and September 22 “Voter Registration Day” in Minnesota.

  This is the first time Minnesota has joined the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) in officially proclaiming National Voter Registration Month (NVRM) and National Voter Registration Day (NVRD). .

• And other educational events such as voter registration drives, community discussions about voting and voter rights, the release of a new high school curriculum on voting, classroom visits to talk about civic engagement with high school students, and other events to raise public awareness about new election laws and the future of the Voting Rights Act.
  
  

Community Partners

ACLU-MN
Asian American Organizing Project
Bethel University
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota
Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice
Chicano Latino Affairs Council
City of Minneapolis Office of City Clerk
Common Cause Minnesota
Community Action of Ramsey and Washington Counties
Community Stabilization Project
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN)
Council on Black Minnesotans
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Episcopal Church of Minnesota
Harrison Neighborhood Association
Headwaters Foundation
Jewish Community Action
Jewish Community Relations Council Minnesota & the Dakotas
Joint Religious Legislative Coalition
League of Women Voters Minnesota
Learning Law and Democracy Foundation
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota
Major Taylor Bike Club of Minnesota
MAPE
Metro State University
Minneapolis Urban League
Minnesota Alliance with Youth
Minnesota Catholic Conference
Minnesota Council of Churches
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
Minnesota Department of Human Rights
Minnesota Disability Law Center
Minnesota Justice Foundation
Minnesota Second Chance Coalition
Minnesota State Retiree Council AFL-CIO
Minnesota State University Student Association
Minnesota Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Alliance
Minnesota Voice
NAACP St. Paul Branch
National Council of Jewish Women
Neighborhoods Organizing for Change
Open Access Connections
PICA Head Start
Shiloh Temple
Stairstep Foundation
Women United
YWCA of Minneapolis