Voter registration has been a crucial aspect of Black history in the United States. In the aftermath of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1870, granting Black men the right to vote. However, many obstacles were put in place to prevent African Americans from exercising this right, including poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation, and violence.

During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, voter registration became a key focus for activists seeking to combat racial discrimination and secure political rights for African Americans. Organizations like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) spearheaded efforts to register Black voters in the South, where discriminatory practices disenfranchised many Black citizens.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to address these barriers to voting. It prohibited literacy tests, provided federal oversight of elections in areas with a history of discrimination, and allowed for federal intervention to ensure that all citizens, regardless of race, could exercise their right to vote.

Despite these advances, ongoing challenges to voter registration persist, including voter suppression tactics such as strict voter ID laws, purges of voter rolls, and limited access to polling places in communities of color. The fight for equal voting rights continues to be a critical issue in Black history and the broader struggle for civil rights and social justice.