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The evolution of civil rights and voting rights in the United States is a narrative of overcoming systemic disenfranchisement. Key developments include the Reconstruction Amendments post-Civil War and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Shaw v. Reno Supreme Court case further shaped the legal approach to racial gerrymandering, impacting redistricting laws and minority representation in government.
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The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States
The 14th Amendment granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all individuals born or naturalized in the United States
The 15th Amendment granted African American men the right to vote
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices and provided federal oversight of voter registration in areas with a history of discrimination
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 significantly increased minority representation in government
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 did not completely eradicate voting discrimination
Shaw v. Reno was a legal challenge to the redistricting of North Carolina's 12th congressional district, which was drawn predominantly based on racial data
Opponents of racial gerrymandering argued that race should not be the primary factor in creating electoral districts, while proponents contended that considering race was necessary to ensure fair minority representation and to remedy historical injustices
The Supreme Court ruled in a close 5-4 decision that the district's racial composition as the predominant factor in its design warranted strict scrutiny and remanded the case for further proceedings