On March 15, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered a historic address to a joint session of Congress, calling for equal voting rights for all Americans. In his speech, known as the “We Shall Overcome” speech, Johnson denounced racial discrimination in voting practices and urged Congress to pass legislation to protect the voting rights of African Americans. This pivotal moment ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed discriminatory voting practices and significantly expanded access to the ballot for minority voters.
