The 15th Amendment is ratified, prohibiting the denial of the vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
At a Glance
- Date
- 3 February 1870
- Location
- United States
- Category
- Law & Justice
- Source
- 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (ratified Feb. 3, 1870) · National Archives
What It Meant Then
It enfranchised Black men and underpinned a wave of Black officeholding during Reconstruction.
What It Means Now
Its promise was gutted by later disenfranchisement and revived by the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “15th Amendment Is Ratified.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/15th-amendment-is-ratified/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). 15th Amendment Is Ratified. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/15th-amendment-is-ratified/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “15th Amendment Is Ratified.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/15th-amendment-is-ratified/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.