The Voting Rights Act of 1965

Political redistricting is one of the most controversial issues in contemporary American society. The practice of shaping voting districts to enhance the political representation of minorities at all levels of government emerged as a legal remedy for redressing the systematic historical exclusion of minority political representation. It continues to have vocal and active defenders and detractors to this day with court rulings upholding or challenging the practice every year. The controversies of redistricting have challenged America's commitment to participatory democracy and America's ability to account for its historical record of voting and racial discrimination. The legal and historical arguments addressing the policy of redistricting and the constitutional issues surrounding it revolve around interpretations of the Fifteenth Amendment and America's ability to accept or reject race-based solutions to political representstion. This three-volume set brings together all the major legal cases and the most influential articles on the legal and historical arguments surrounding this issue.

Marsha Darling holds a doctorate of law. She has taught history at Georgetown University and is currently director of the African American Studies Department at Adelphi University in New York.