The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Oct. 15, 2025
Oral arguments in Louisiana v. Callais are scheduled for October 15th in the U.S. Supreme Court, with interpretation of the 14th and 15th amendments under debate, and the Voting Rights Act in the balance.
The 14th Amendment enshrined civil and legal rights of formerly enslaved Americans. Section 1 says in part: “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” And in what became known as the Equal Protection Clause, “nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”
The 15th Amendment states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” But Black, Native and other minority voters faced another 100 years of discrimination before Congress enforced it with the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
President Lyndon Johnson told Congress:
“Our fathers believed that if this noble view of the rights of man was to flourish, it must be rooted in democracy. The most basic right of all was the right to choose your own leaders. The history of this country, in large measure, is the history of the expansion of that right to all of our people.”
Find a live stream link for the Oct. 15th, 10 AM arguments at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Listen to the U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments from Wednesday, Oct. 15
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
National Archives – 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Civil Rights (1868)
National Archives – 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights (1870)
National Archives – Voting Rights Act (1965)
Brennan Center for Justice – The Voting Rights Act Explained
NAACP Legal Defense Fund – Louisiana v. Callais: Protecting fair representation for Black voters in Louisiana and safeguarding the Voting Rights Act
Voices of Democracy Project – Transcript of LYNDON B. JOHNSON, “WE SHALL OVERCOME” (15 MARCH 1965) Speech to Congress
LBJ Library – Video of Special Message to the Congress: The American Promise [on the Voting Rights Act], 3/15/65 (Also known as his “We Shall Overcome” speech)
Groups Taking Action:
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, ACLU, Legal Defense Fund, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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