Chronicles of the Voting Rights Milestone- The Year African Americans Were Granted the Right to Vote
What year were African Americans allowed to vote? This is a question that holds significant historical importance and has profound implications on the political and social landscape of the United States. The journey to achieve voting rights for African Americans was fraught with challenges, struggles, and triumphs, and it ultimately culminated in the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1870.
The struggle for voting rights for African Americans began with the ratification of the 13th Amendment in 1865, which abolished slavery. However, the fight for full citizenship and voting rights continued, as many states implemented various forms of voter suppression and discrimination. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted African Americans citizenship and equal protection under the law, but it did not explicitly guarantee the right to vote.
The turning point in the fight for voting rights for African Americans came with the passage of the 15th Amendment in 1870. This amendment declared that the right to vote could not be denied or abridged on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This was a significant victory for the African American community, as it finally provided a legal foundation for their fight for equal voting rights.
Despite the passage of the 15th Amendment, the journey to achieve full voting rights for African Americans was not without its challenges. In the years following the amendment’s ratification, many southern states implemented various forms of voter suppression, including literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses. These measures were designed to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote.
The fight for voting rights continued well into the 20th century. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) played a crucial role in this struggle, advocating for the rights of African Americans and challenging discriminatory laws and practices. The Supreme Court also played a significant role, striking down discriminatory voter suppression measures in several landmark cases.
One of the most significant milestones in the fight for voting rights was the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This landmark legislation aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote. The act effectively invalidated discriminatory voting practices and required certain states with a history of racial discrimination to obtain federal approval before changing their voting laws.
In conclusion, the year African Americans were allowed to vote was 1870, with the ratification of the 15th Amendment. However, the struggle for full voting rights continued for many years, with significant progress made through the efforts of various civil rights organizations and the Supreme Court. The fight for voting rights for African Americans serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of a community that refused to accept second-class citizenship.
