The year 1965 was fraught with assassination, brutal attacks, and an attempt to deny Black Americans the right to vote. In February, Malcolm X, a Black religious’ leader and human rights activist, was slain. Bloody Sunday followed in March, when 600 civil rights protesters attempted to walk from Selma to Montgomery, the capital of Alabama, to oppose the suppression of the Black vote. As a result, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was ultimately signed into law in August. The civil rights movement succeeded in getting legislation passed, but the fight against racism, discrimination, and hatred was far from over. This detailed account explains why 1965 was such a critical year in the civil rights movement.