What did the 15th Amendment do?
Christopher Snyder
Updated on March 12, 2026
Passed by Congress February 26, 1869, and ratified February 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment granted African American men the right to vote.
Why is 15th Amendment important?
The 15th Amendment guaranteed African-American men the right to vote. Almost immediately after ratification, African Americans began to take part in running for office and voting.What does the 15th Amendment say exactly?
FIFTEENTH AMENDMENTThe 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 ser- vitude.