Editor’s note: This article is part of We the People , a series marking the upcoming 250th birthday of the United States of America by Gray Media, Atlanta News First’s parent company.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Aug. 6, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law.

The landmark legislation dramatically increased voter registration and participation among African Americans in Georgia and across the South, reshaping the nation’s political landscape and advancing civil rights.

The Voting Rights Act’s passage profoundly changed Georgia’s electorate and advanced social justice.

ALSO: In the early 1970s, Atlanta, like many U.S. cities, faced challenges with rising crime.

On August 5, 1973, local news reported on new police initiatives and comm

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