The right to vote has been a central and hard-fought issue in Black history in the United States. African Americans, particularly in the South, were systematically denied the right to vote through various discriminatory practices such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and violent intimidation by white supremacist groups.

The struggle for Black voting rights reached a turning point during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Activists like Martin Luther King Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, and John Lewis organized marches, protests, and voter registration drives to bring attention to the disenfranchisement of Black voters. The landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a major legislative victory that aimed to combat voter suppression tactics and ensure that all citizens, regardless of race, had equal access to the ballot box.

Despite these advances, challenges to voting rights persist to this day, with issues such as voter ID laws, gerrymandering, and the disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated individuals disproportionately affecting Black communities. The fight for the right to vote continues to be a crucial aspect of the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality in America.