Amendment
15th Amendment
Prohibited denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
Year
1870
Impact
Positive
Status
Active
Party
Republican Party
Era
Civil War and Reconstruction
Impact Context
Established federal constitutional protection for Black male voting rights, though later undermined in practice.
What This Policy Did
Established federal constitutional protection for Black male voting rights, though later undermined in practice.
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Sources
U.S. Department of Justice • Government • Aug 16, 2018
DOJ overview explaining that the 15th Amendment prohibited denial or abridgment of the right to vote on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
National Archives • Archive • Mar 13, 2024
National Archives reference page placing the 15th Amendment within the longer history of Black voting rights and later legal protections.