15th Amendment Ratified, Guaranteeing Voting Rights Regardless of Race

On February 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified, marking a pivotal moment in U.S. history by ensuring that voting rights could not be denied based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

• The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on February 3, 1870, decreeing that the right to vote shall not be denied on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
• This amendment was a significant step towards fulfilling America's destiny as 'the last best hope of Earth,' as described by Abraham Lincoln.
• Despite the ratification of the 15th Amendment, the promise of voting rights for African Americans was not fully realized until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
• The amendment was part of a series of transformative amendments that followed the Civil War, including the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, and the 14th Amendment, which guaranteed citizenship rights.
• The ratification of the 15th Amendment represented a major milestone in the fight for civil rights, although challenges to African American voting rights persisted through mechanisms such as poll taxes and literacy tests.

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