We Shall Overcome

from a speech given by President Lyndon Johnson in support of the Voting Rights Act of 1965

(1) Many of the issues of civil rights is very complex and most difficult. (2) About this there can and should be no argument: every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. (3) There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. (4) In many places in this country men and women are kept from voting simply because they are Negroes.

(5) This bill will establish a simple, uniform standard which cannot be used to ignore their Constitution. (6) It will eliminate unnecessary lawsuits which delay the right to vote. (7) Finally, this legislation will insure that properly registered individuals are not prohibited from voting.

(8) Experience has plainly shown that this is the only path to carry out the command of the Constitution. (9) We must allow men and women to register and vote whatever the color of their skin and extend the rights of citizenship to every citizen of this land. (10) It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country.

(11) Even if we pass it, the battle will not be over. (12) It’s the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. (13) We must all overcome the crippling legacy of racism and injustice.

(14) And we shall overcome… (15) This great rich, restless country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all—black and white, North and South, sharecropper and city dweller. (16) We shall overcome the enemies of poverty, disease and ignorance.

(17) The bill I am presenting to you will be known as a civil rights bill. (18) In a larger sense, most of the program I am recommending is a civil rights program. (19) Its goal is to open the city of hope to all people of all races. (20) All Americans must have the right to vote. (21) We are going to give them that right. (22) All Americans must have the privileges of citizenship, regardless of race.

(23) I want to be the President who educated young children to the wonders of their world. (24) I want to be the President who helped to feed the hungry and to prepare them to be taxpayers instead of tax eaters. (25) I want to be the President who helped the poor to find their own way and who protected the right of every citizen to vote in every election. (26) I want to be the President who helped to end hatred among his fellow men and who promoted love among the people of all races, all regions and all parties. (27) I want to be the President who helped to end war among the brothers of this earth.

Question 1 (2 points)
What change, if any, should be made in sentence 1?

Question 1 options:

Change is to are

Change civil rights to Civil Rights

Insert a comma after complex

Sentence 1 does not need to be changed

Question 2 (2 points)
President Johnson would like to add a word or phrase to help transition from sentence one to sentence two. Which of the following could he add to the beginning of sentence 2 to achieve this goal?

Question 2 options:

In the same way,

As was previously stated,

However,

For instance,

Question 3 (2 points)
What change, if any, should be made to sentence 5?

Question 3 options:

Change Constitution to constitution

Change a to an

Change their to our

Sentence 5 does not need to be changed.

Question 4 (2 points)
President Johnson could improve the clarity of sentence 11 by changing it to -

Question 4 options:

the Constitution

this bill

this lawsuit

the people

Question 5 (2 points)
What is the best way to combine sentence 20 and 21?

Question 5 options:

All Americans must have the right to vote; we are going to give them that right.

All Americans must have the right to vote and we are going to give them that right.

All Americans must have the right to vote, and we are going to give all Americans the right to vote.

All Americans must have the right to vote and, we are going to give them that right to vote.