SCOTUS upholds Voting Rights Act as constitutional in South Carolina v. Katzenbach

The Supreme Court rules 8-1 in South Carolina v. Katzenbach that the Voting Rights Act's preclearance requirement and coverage formula are constitutional exercises of Congress's power under the Fifteenth Amendment. Chief Justice Earl Warren writes for the majority that the law's remedial design is appropriate given the long history of racial discrimination in voting. The ruling establishes that Congress can impose special burdens on jurisdictions with histories of discrimination.