United States
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What is the 15th Amendment to the US Constitution?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution reads:

Section One: 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. Section Two: The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

In brief, this Amendment, ratified in 1870, was supposed to guarantee the right to vote to former slaves while barring discrimination on the basis of racial origin or skin color at the same time.

The U.S. Capitol Building.
The U.S. Capitol Building.

The 15th Amendment is the last of a cluster of Amendments known collectively as the “Reconstruction Amendments.” These additions to the Constitution were enacted in the years following the Civil War, with the goal of uniting a formerly divided country, and to abolish the inherent inequalities which had come along with slavery. Of course, a “separate but equal” system prevailed in the United States well through the 1960s, but the Reconstruction Amendments were certainly a step in the right direction. The other Reconstruction Amendments were the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the 14th Amendment, which was supposed to give former slaves more rights under the law.

The US Constitution.
The US Constitution.

While the 15th Amendment is heralded as a major event in the civil rights movement, the story behind it is actually a bit more pragmatic. This Amendment was championed by the Republican Party, which wanted to solidify its gains in the American South. Republicans recognized that by giving blacks the right to vote, they could drastically increase their voting base. It was proposed in 1869, and by 1870, the required 36 states had ratified it, allowing it to enter the law.

The 15th Amendment was meant to give the right to vote to former slaves.
The 15th Amendment was meant to give the right to vote to former slaves.

The second section of the 15th Amendment stipulates that Congress has the power to enact legislation which is designed to protect the right to vote for former slaves and racial minorities, but Congress was slow to take advantage of this clause. While blacks had the right to vote on paper officially as of 1870, many faced voter intimidation and a variety of other practices designed to disenfranchise them. In practice, it took almost 100 years for the full potential of the 15th Amendment to be realized, when the Voting Rights Act of 1965 aggressively promoted equal access to the polling station, ensuring that blacks and other racial and ethnic minorities in the United States were able to play a role in the democratic process.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Markerrag

Congress wasn't just slow to enforce the 15th Amendment. It virtually ignored all laws in the former Confederacy that effectively denied blacks the very right to vote guaranteed to all U.S. citizens under the amendment. It took angry mobs and protests to convince the federal government to take on the issue, in fact.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • The U.S. Capitol Building.
      The U.S. Capitol Building.
    • The US Constitution.
      By: James Steidl
      The US Constitution.
    • The 15th Amendment was meant to give the right to vote to former slaves.
      By: iMAGINE
      The 15th Amendment was meant to give the right to vote to former slaves.
    • Though the 15th Amendment gave former slaves the right to vote in 1870, all of its provisions were not enforced until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
      By: elnavegante
      Though the 15th Amendment gave former slaves the right to vote in 1870, all of its provisions were not enforced until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.