On August 6, 1965, the Voting’s Rights Act was signed into law after eleven years of consistent civil rights direct actions. While Black men were guaranteed the right to vote with the 14th and 15th amendments (1868 and 1870, respectively) and Black women in 1920, state officials and white vigilantes continued to deny this right to Black people with state statues such as the grandfather clause, literacy tests, poll taxes, and violence. State systems were key enforcers of Jim Crow, which was never just segregation but an attempt to deny Black people many rights afforded them by law. Because of this long history of voter suppression…

The Faculty Advisory Board of the Arcus Center for Social Justice leadership and the HHMI Inclusive Excellence Faculty team present this monthly notice aimed at educating the K community on African-American history and culture. 19 marks 1619, the year in which the first set of African captives were brought to what would become the United States, and June 19th, 1865, the day that Blacks celebrate the end of enslavement in the US. Both of these dates, and their meanings, were largely unknown to many outsides of the Black community. We feel much of the “surprise” at recent uprisings led by the Black lives Matter movement derives from a lack of knowledge of the rich fabric of Black History. Thus, beginning this month, and every month, hereafter, we will offer messages like this one to help better educate our College community as we work towards being an anti-racist Institution. This month learn about Thurgood Marshall…