| By 1965 concerted efforts to break the grip | | | | persuaded the President and Congress to |
| of state disfranchisement had been under way | | | | overcome Southern legislators' resistance to |
| for some time, but had achieved only modest | | | | allowing the African American vote.President |
| success overall and in some areas had | | | | Johnson issued a call for a strong voting |
| achieved no success at all.The murder of | | | | rights law and hearings began soon thereafter |
| voting-rights activists in Philadelphia, | | | | on the bill that would become the Voting |
| Mississippi, gained national attention, along | | | | Rights Act. On the dawn of its 40th |
| with numerous other acts of violence and | | | | Anniversary, Congress is preparing for the |
| terrorism.Finally, the unprovoked attack on | | | | reauthorization |
| March 7, 1965, by state troopers on peaceful | | | | |
| marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in | | | | of key provisions in the Voting Rights Act |
| Selma, Alabama, on their way to Montgomery, | | | | that will expire in 2007. |