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Part II: A Short History of Voting Rights in the United States

By Dr. Tonya Perry
Historic Timeline by Erica Fox Washington

The history of voting rights in the US is extensive, complex and filled with violence, resistance,
war, politics, and the struggle to suppress the ability of African Americans and others to exercise
this fundamental right. Your vote has the power to influence laws, policies, funding and services
within your local community, your state and the nation. The resources, time and energy that have
been invested in suppressing the right to vote in both historical and contemporary times, reflect
the true power of the vote. While there is not sufficient space to provide a comprehensive review
of the history of voting rights in the United States (US), what follows is a brief overview of the
history of the struggle for voting rights which highlights the unique struggles of African Americans
and the prominent role that Alabama played in the advancement of voting rights for all Americans.
A number of historical and contemporary factors contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights
Act of 1965. These factors include the enslavement of African Americans, the institutionalization
of discrimination through the use of Jim Crow laws, policies and practices, strategies of resistance
to oppression and terrorism and the civil rights struggle for the right to vote (Galliard, 2004;
Packard, 2001; Weisbrot, 1990; Williams, 1987).

-In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed, establishing the USA as a democratic
nation. However, the right to vote was limited to white Protestant men who were property owners.

-In 1787, voting rights were expanded in some states. In New Jersey, women and Black people
were actually granted the right to vote. The 1789 Constitution did not include voter protections,
so it was left to the individual states to determine who was eligible.

-Following the Union’s defeat of the Confederacy, Congress enacted the Military Reconstruction
Act of 1867, which permitted former states of the Confederacy to gain re-entry into the Union if
they adopted new state constitutions that sanctioned male voting rights inclusive of Blacks. A
year later, in 1868, the 14th Amendment was ratified. This Amendment granted citizenship to
all people either born or naturalized in the United States (DOJ, 2013; Mack, Perry et. Al). Also the
government specifically excluded Indigenous People from the 14 amendment as they would not
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be declared citizens until 1924. The 15 Amendment established the right to vote for all male
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citizens. Congress passed two additional pieces of legislation to support rights outlined in the 15
th
Amendment. These pieces of legislation included the Enforcement Act of 1870 and the Force Act
of 1871, which collectively outlined criminal penalties for interfering with the right to vote and
oversight of federal elections (DOJ, 2013). As a result, the immediate impact of the 14
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Amendment, 15 Amendment, Enforcement Act of 1870, and the Force Act of 1871, was that
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hundreds of thousands of newly emancipated Blacks in formerly Confederate states registered to
vote. Because Blacks represented the majority in many of the areas within these states, they
were elected to state, local and federal offices (Packard, 2001; DOJ, 2013; Weisbrot, 1990).

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