fifteenth amendment united_states constitution fifteenth amendment amendment united_states_constitution prohibits federal state governments denying citizen right vote based citizen race color previous condition ratified february final years american_civil_war followed congress repeatedly debated rights millions black slaves amendments passed abolish slavery provide citizenship equal protection laws election presidency convinced majority republicans protecting franchise black voters important party future rejecting sweeping versions suffrage amendment congress proposed compromise amendment banning franchise restrictions basis race color previous february amendment survived difficult ratification fight adopted march decisions late nineteenth century interpreted amendment narrowly black voters south effectively new state state laws incorporating obstacles poll taxes literacy tests white voters grandfather clauses system whites violent intimidation white groups suppressed black participation twentieth century court began interpret amendment broadly striking grandfather clauses united_states white primary system texas primary cases later measures fourth amendment forbade poll taxes federal elections harper forbade poll taxes state elections decisions significantly increased black participation american political system enforce amendment congress enacted voting rights act provided federal oversight elections jurisdictions banned literacy tests similar devices created legal people affected voting discrimination text background final years american_civil_war followed congress repeatedly debated rights black slaves freed emancipation proclamation thirteenth amendment formally abolished slavery following passage thirteenth amendment congress republicans grew concerned increase create congressional representation democratic dominated southern states population freed slaves counted mandated previous southern states dramatically increase power population based house_of_representatives republicans hoped offset advantage attracting protecting votes newly black population congress passed civil rights act citizenship regard race color previous condition slavery bill guaranteed equal benefits access law direct assault passed post war southern states attempted return slaves like condition things restricting movement forcing enter year long labor contracts prohibiting owning firearms preventing court strongly urged congress sign bill president johnson vetoed march veto message objected measure conferred citizenship time states congress favor african americans whites weeks later johnson veto measure law time american history congress able muster votes necessary presidential veto despite victory republicans supported goals civil rights act began doubt congress possessed constitutional power turn goals laws experience encouraged radical moderate republicans seek constitutional guarantees black rights relying temporary political june congress adopted fourteenth amendment guaranteed citizenship equal protection laws regardless race sent states ratification bitter struggle included attempted ratification states fourteenth amendment adopted july second section fourteenth amendment punished reduced representation house_of_representatives states male citizens years age failing adopt penalty signaled states possessed right deny ballot access blacks northern states generally adverse granting voting rights blacks southern states year ratification northern states allowed blacks vote south blacks able vote areas intervention occupying union_army proposal ratification proposal anticipating increase democratic membership following congress republicans lame duck session 40th united states congress pass amendment protecting black suffrage representative primary author fourteenth amendment pushed wide ranging ban suffrage limitations broader proposal banning voter restriction basis race color property education religious beliefs rejected proposal specifically ban literacy tests rejected representatives north major force wished preserve restrictions denying franchise foreign born citizens representatives west ethnic chinese banned voting southern northern republicans wanted continue deny vote temporarily support confederacy concerned sweeping endorsement suffrage group house senate conference committee proposed amendment final text banned voter restriction basis race color previous condition attract possible base support amendment mention poll taxes measures block voting guarantee right blacks hold office compromise proposal approved house february senate following day vote house voting house vote entirely party lines democrats supporting bill republicans voting thought amendment far house_of_representatives passed amendment republican conservative republican votes democrat republican independent republican conservative votes republican democrat independent republican voting final vote senate voting senate passed amendment vote republican votes democrat republican votes republican democrat voting radical republicans massachusetts senator voting amendment prohibit literacy tests poll taxes following congressional approval proposed amendment sent secretary state states ratification rejection ratification original proposals amendment negotiations committee final draft nonetheless faced significant ratified states wrote process hard going outcome uncertain end source opposition proposed amendment women suffrage movement civil war common cause abolitionist movement passage fourteenth amendment explicitly protected male citizens second section activists found civil rights women divorced blacks matters came head proposal fifteenth amendment barred race discrimination gender discrimination voter laws debate nation leading group split rival organizations opposed amendment supported groups remained divided 1890s nevada state amendment march new_england states midwest states ratified amendment soon proposal southern states controlled radical reconstruction governments north_carolina swiftly ratified newly elected president strongly endorsed amendment calling measure importance act kind foundation free government present day privately asked nebraska governor special legislative session speed process securing state ratification april december congress passed reconstruction bills virginia mississippi texas georgia amendment regaining congressional representation states struggle ratification particularly close indiana ohio voted january respectively new_york ratified april tried ratification january february georgia iowa nebraska texas ratified amendment bringing total states required thirty seven states court challenge new_york resolution withdraw consent states fifteenth amendment nevada march west_virginia march north_carolina march illinois march louisiana march michigan march wisconsin march maine march massachusetts march arkansas march south_carolina march pennsylvania march new_york april rescinded ratification january ratified march indiana connecticut florida june new_hampshire july virginia october vermont october alabama november missouri january minnesota january mississippi january rhode_island january kansas january ohio january rejection april georgia february iowa february secretary state certified amendment march new_york despite ratification included state nebraska february texas february remaining seven states subsequently ratified amendment new_jersey february rejection march delaware february rejection march oregon february rejection october california april rejection january maryland rejection february kentucky march rejection march tennessee april rejection november amendment adoption met widespread celebrations black communities abolitionist societies disbanded feeling black rights secured work complete president grant said amendment completes greatest civil change constitutes important event occurred nation came life republicans felt amendment passage black americans longer needed federal protection congressman future president stated amendment passage african race care destiny places fortunes hands congressman later wrote ratification amendments reconstruction success application reconstruction known black voter amendment adoption cast ballot march new_jersey referendum election adopting revised city charter united_states decision interpreting fifteenth amendment court interpreted amendment narrowly ostensibly race neutral limitations suffrage including poll taxes literacy tests grandfather clause citizens voting requirements registered voters condition whites generally meet court stated amendment right suffrage citizens united_states right exemption discrimination exercise franchise account race color previous condition congress enforce right appropriate legislation court wrote fifteenth amendment right suffrage prevents states united_states giving preference particular citizen united_states account race color previous condition adoption power state exclude citizens united_states voting account race account age property education citizens race having certain qualifications permitted law vote having qualifications previous amendment constitutional discrimination follows amendment invested citizens united_states new constitutional right protecting power congress right exemption discrimination exercise franchise account race color previous condition express provisions second section amendment congress enforce appropriate legislation white paramilitary violence prevent black people voting number blacks killed massacre attempting defend right vote enforcement acts passed congress authorize federal prosecution violated amendment reconstruction neared end federal troops withdrew enforcement acts dropped significantly united_states supreme_court ruled federal government authority prosecute perpetrators massacre state actors congress weakened acts removing provision conspiracy republican elected president highly contested election receiving support southern states exchange pledge allow white democratic governments rule federal interference president refused enforce federal civil rights allowing states begin implement racially laws federal elections bill successfully senate post reconstruction poll taxes literacy tests instituted south effectively great majority blacks white primary elections served reduce influence blacks political system increasing legal obstacles blacks excluded political system threats violent whites form lynch terrorist attacks democrats advocated repeal amendment new_york 20th century court began read fifteenth amendment broadly united_states unanimous court struck oklahoma grandfather clause effectively white voters literacy test finding court ruled related case anderson officials enforced clause liable civil damages court addressed white primary system series decisions later known texas primary cases nixon nixon sued damages federal civil rights laws denied ballot democratic party primary election basis race court found favor basis fourteenth amendment guarantees equal protection law discussing fifteenth amendment claim texas amended statute allow political party state executive committee set voting qualifications nixon sued nixon court found favor basis fourteenth amendment following nixon democratic_party state convention instituted rule whites vote primary elections court unanimously upheld rule constitutional distinguishing discrimination private organization state previous primary cases united_states classic court ruled primary elections essential electoral process reasoning based classic court smith overruled ruling denying non white voters ballot primary elections violation fifteenth amendment texas primary cases terry adams court ruled black entitled damages group organized whites pre primary elections assistance democratic party officials court amendment strike decision found city limits alabama officials exclude black area basis race court later relied decision rice struck ancestry based voting elections ruling held elections violated fifteenth amendment ancestry racial definition racial purpose judicial enforcement fifteenth amendment ended grandfather clauses white tactics southern black voter registration gradually increased rising percent percent fifteenth amendment interpreted prohibit poll taxes fourth amendment adopted banning poll taxes federal elections supreme_court ruled harper state poll taxes violate fourteenth amendment equal protection clause authority section fifteenth amendment congress passed voting rights act achieve racial equality voting sections voting rights act required states local governments histories racial discrimination voting submit changes voting laws practices federal government approval effect process called percent southern blacks registered vote percent southern whites supreme_court upheld sections south_carolina holder supreme_court ruled section voting rights act established coverage formula determined jurisdictions subject longer constitutional exceeded congress enforcement authority section fifteenth amendment court declared fifteenth amendment commands right vote shall denied account race color gives congress power enforce command amendment designed punish past purpose ensure better future according court regardless look record fairly shows approaching widespread rampant discrimination faced congress clearly distinguished covered jurisdictions rest nation dissent justice wrote throwing worked continuing work stop changes like throwing away umbrella getting wet provision struck continue congress passes new coverage formula
Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution