Many Black Americans and voting rights advocates are comparing Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamys’ proposal to institute a civics test for young voters to voting restrictions on African Americans in place before the passage of the Voting Rights Act. Ramaswamys’ proposal would require Americans aged 18-24 to pass the same civics test required for immigrants to become citizens of the United States unless they complete six months of military or first-responder service. Carol Anderson, an Emory University Professor, compared the candidates plan to literacy tests used in the past to limit electoral participation among African Americans.

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