Racial discrimination in voting has a long and troubling history in Black history. One of the ways that Black people were disenfranchised in the United States was through tactics such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. These were implemented in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Southern states as a means to prevent Black people from voting.

Poll taxes required voters to pay a fee in order to vote, which disproportionately affected African Americans who were often living in poverty. Literacy tests were another discriminatory practice, as Black citizens were required to pass difficult literacy tests in order to vote, even though many white citizens were exempt. Grandfather clauses also disenfranchised Black voters by allowing individuals to vote only if their grandfathers had been able to vote before the abolition of slavery – a provision that excluded many Black citizens whose ancestors had been enslaved.

These discriminatory practices persisted for many years, effectively limiting the political power of African Americans in the United States. It wasn't until the civil rights movement of the 1960s that significant progress was made in addressing these injustices. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to combat racial discrimination in voting and protect the voting rights of all citizens, regardless of race. Despite these advancements, voter suppression and disenfranchisement continue to be issues that disproportionately affect Black voters to this day.