Voting rights have been a significant struggle in Black history in the United States. Following the abolition of slavery with the 13th Amendment in 1865 and the granting of citizenship with the 14th Amendment in 1868, the 15th Amendment was ratified in 1870, prohibiting the denial of voting rights based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

However, despite these protections, many states implemented discriminatory practices such as literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses, and intimidation tactics to prevent African Americans from exercising their right to vote. This period led to the disenfranchisement of Black voters across the country.

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s was a pivotal time in the fight for voting rights. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a landmark piece of legislation that aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from voting. The Act outlawed literacy tests and other discriminatory practices and provided federal oversight of election procedures in states with a history of voter suppression.

Despite these advancements, challenges to voting rights persist in the modern era, with issues such as voter ID laws, gerrymandering, and voter suppression tactics continuing to disproportionately impact communities of color, including Black voters. The fight for voting rights remains an ongoing struggle in the quest for equality and justice in America.