Which event helped spur the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

• A. The Watts Riots of 1965.
• B. Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama.
• C. The March on Washington.
• D. The Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Answer: (B)

Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama is the event that helped spur the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. When peaceful marchers confronting state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge were beaten and the brutal scene was broadcast nationwide, public anger and moral outrage surged. The vivid television imagery made it clear that legal guarantees on voting still meant little in practice for Black citizens, pressuring lawmakers and the president to act. In response, Congress and the White House moved forward with a strong federal voting rights bill that aimed to remove barriers like literacy tests and established federal oversight to protect access to the ballot. While other civil rights actions built momentum for change, Bloody Sunday provided the immediate, undeniable spark that linked public outrage to legislative action.