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June 25, 2013, 11:35 a.m.

Student Documentary Looks at the Human Side of The Voting Rights Act

Students at McComb High School in McComb, Miss., recently came to Washington, D.C., to premiere a 10-minute documentary they made about their hometown and its role in the 1965 Voting Rights Act (VRA). Earlier today, the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the VRA, saying it was based on outdated information and practices. In the process of making the documentary, the student reporters sat down with locals who had been involved with the fight for civil rights and interviewed them about their experiences in the South leading up to the passage of voting rights legislation. Notable guests attended the premiere at the African-American Civil War Museum, including museum director Frank Smith and free speech activist Mary Beth Tinker. NewsHour Extra asked some of the students who worked on the documentary about why they felt the need to showcase their town's connection to the VRA and whether the issue of voting rights was still relevant to them today. -- Video by Becky Gaskill You can also watch the students' 10-minute documentary below: http://vimeo.com/62891392

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