Description Voting gives people a voice in their communities. In the past, racist laws and practices kept Black American voices silent. No place was more affected by this racism than the state of Mississippi. In 1964, organizers and volunteers brought change to Mississippi. This movement to register Black voters became known as Freedom Summer, and it led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Discover the people, events, and results of Freedom Summer and learn why voting rights remain an important issue today.