Voting Rights History Throughout the Year: The 15th Amendment

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."  --The 15th Amendment

The third of the Reconstruction Amendments, the Fifteenth Amendment was ratified February 3, 1870, and affirmed the right of formerly enslaved Black men to vote.  After its passage, many states enacted laws that created discriminatory barriers to voting. Jim Crow laws and intimidation tactics, including violence, suppressed Black voting, especially in Southern states.

The following are some links to learn more:

• Encyclopedia Brittanica article about the 15th Amendment
• National Park Service article about the 15th Amendment
• Learning for Justice lesson on Reconstruction Amendments
• Zinn Education Project this-day-in-history entry on the ratification of the 15th Amendment as well as teaching materials about the 15th Amendment
• American Experience article, "Passage of the Fifteenth Amendment"
• Brennan Center for Justice article, "The Promise and Pitfalls of the 15th Amendment over 150 years"
• National Constitution Center article about the 15th Amendment
• Our Documents site entry about the 15th Amendment
• National Geographic brief article about the 15th Amendment
• Library of Congress 15th Amendment page
• Some of the kinds disenfranchisement methods used to prevent Black men voting after the passage of the 15th Amendment

This blog post is part of an ongoing series of "this date in history" blog posts that will highlight some of the people and events of voting rights history. Links provide an opportunity for students and teachers to explore and learn more.