ABSTRACT
T he voting rights act of 1965 was a milestone in the modern struggle for black equality. Its passage paved the way for testing a long-held theory of black power that perceives politics as the path to extensive African-American empowerment. A consequence of black leaders’ views since slavery on the attainment of political, social, and economic equity, the theory is derived from four basic assumptions: through continued agitation Americans from Africa would gain access to the ballot; enfranchised, African Americans would elect to public office black officials or other politicians sensitive to their interests; elected officials concerned with black needs would enact progressive public policy; as a result of this policy, the socioeconomic status of the African-American collective would ultimately gain parity with the white majority.
