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Freedmen's Conventions and Black Codes (1865-1866)

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Freedmen's Conventions and Black Codes (1865-1866)

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Freedmen's Convention meetings adjourned whites and black together to find resolves to local problems. They would discuss politics and help provide food, shelter, clothing, medical services, etc. Black codes restricted black people's right to own property, buy and use land, conduct business, and move freely without restriction. Black codes impacted those trying to find ethical jobs and living spaces.

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The 15th amendment states "“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” This amendment created debates and division between white and black suffrage activists.

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On March 3, 1913, Mary proudly marched with other African-American suffragists in the first women’s suffrage parade held in the nation’s capital. It is also well known for being marred by the attempts of white suffrage leaders to block African-American women’s equal participation.

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National Association of Colored Women (NACW) (1896)

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National Association of Colored Women (NACW) (1896)

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The National Association of Colored Women was established in Washington D.C. The organization played a pivotal role in the struggle for women's suffrage and also promoted other social reforms, including anti-lynching and temperance.

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The 19th amendment was ratified in 1920 and extended women the right to vote. Even though the 19th amendment allowed women to vote, it did not end the racial terrorism that prevented African-Americans in southern states from voting, regardless of sex.

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Hosea Williams of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and John Lewis of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee organized a march for voting rights in Alabama. 600 marched and were stopped outside of Selma where enforcement officers brutally attacked them. This is known as "Bloody Sunday". A second walk aided the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

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President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965. The law outlawed literacy tests, poll taxes, and other obstacles to voting. It gave the federal government the authority to take over voter registration wherever voting rights were threatened. The law removed barriers to the ballot or minorities including Native Americans, people of Asian descent, and non-English speakers.

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A 2000 report found that Florida suppressed voters during the U.S. presidential election, including thousands of eligible black voters from county registration rolls. The Help America Vote Act, passed in 2002 helped improve the election process nationwide. It required updating of voting equipment at the local level and better voter registration lists to ensure eligible voters were not refused access to the ballot.

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President Barack Obama (August 4, 1961- present)

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President Barack Obama (August 4, 1961- present)

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In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act, which allowed states to begin changing their voting laws without procedural protections in place. President Obama has called on Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act and ensure that all Americans have the right to vote.

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Throughout the decades, voting rights for African Americans have been strained in America. Even though African American men were granted voting rights during the Reconstruction era, black women were not allowed to vote but could attend political meetings. However, this led many black women to establish associations like the NACW, to promote social reform and the extension of the 19th amendment, which allowed women to vote nationwide. The civil rights movement placed emphasis on outlawing literacy tests, poll taxes, and other obstacles to voting. Even today, Congress has passed many acts to have voter turnout be significantly racially and ethnically diverse. Overall, uncovering these facts about voting rights for African Americans was surprising to learn about the amount of work put in for a right that seems so basic.