The critical legislation aimed to provide protections against voting discrimination in 1965 is known as the Voting Rights Act. This landmark law aimed to eliminate barriers that prevented African Americans and other minority groups from exercising their right to vote, particularly in the Southern states. It outlawed discriminatory practices such as literacy tests and allowed for federal oversight in voter registration processes. The act was a significant achievement of the civil rights movement and has had a lasting impact on ensuring fair voting practices in the United States.