Voting rights have been a major issue in Black history, marked by a long and often violent struggle for equal access to the ballot box. African Americans have faced numerous barriers to voting, including literacy tests, poll taxes, intimidation, and violence.

The passage of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1870 granted Black men the right to vote, but Southern states enacted Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise Black voters through various means. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed that significant progress was made in ensuring Black Americans could exercise their right to vote. This landmark legislation prohibited racial discrimination in voting and empowered the federal government to oversee voter registration and elections in states with a history of voter suppression.

Despite these advancements, challenges to voting rights persist, with ongoing efforts to enact voter ID laws, gerrymandering, and other tactics that disproportionately affect people of color. The fight for voting rights remains a critical issue in Black history and the broader struggle for equality and justice.