Voter suppression has been a pervasive issue throughout Black history in the United States, dating back to the Reconstruction era following the Civil War. During this time, various tactics were used to disenfranchise Black voters, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and violence and intimidation at the polls.

In the Jim Crow era that followed, segregation laws were implemented in the South that systematically denied African Americans the right to vote through discriminatory practices such as grandfather clauses and "white primaries." These laws effectively prevented Black individuals from fully participating in the democratic process.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s brought attention to the issue of voter suppression, leading to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This landmark legislation aimed to end discriminatory voting practices such as literacy tests and poll taxes, and provided federal oversight of voting practices in states with a history of voter suppression.

Despite these advancements, voter suppression continues to be a concern for Black voters today. Tactics such as strict voter ID laws, voter purges, gerrymandering, and polling place closures disproportionately affect communities of color, making it harder for Black individuals to exercise their right to vote. Efforts to combat voter suppression and protect voting rights remain ongoing issues in the fight for racial equality and social justice.