Greatly expanding our understanding of federal voting rights after the Supreme Court's ruling in Shelby County v. Holder,this book addresses a hugely important area of public policy by persuasively analyzing the past achievements of federal intervention and the challenges facing advocates of new legislation. - Merle Black, coauthor of The Rise of Southern Republicans This comprehensive history of the Voting Rights Act traces the act's success in empowering racial minorities, the various interpretations of it by the Supreme Court, and changes to the law as Congress reauthorized it over the years. Although the full impact of the high court's Shelby County decision remains unclear, this excellent volume provides informed speculation on what the future may hold. - Thomas Brunell, author of Redistricting and Representation: Why Competitive Elections Are Bad for America The Rise and Fall of the Voting Rights Act is an authoritative, scholarly study that students and scholars will rely on for its richly detailed and thoughtful analysis of how the act was born, lived, and now faces an uncertain future. I recommend it highly. - Gary May, author of Bending toward Justice: The Voting Rights Act and the Transformation of American Democracy