03 February - The 15th Amendment was ratified, giving all American men the right to vote in 1870

 

On 03 February 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified, giving all American men the right to vote, regardless of race or previous state of servitude. Significantly, this meant that emancipated slaves and other African Americans had all the rights and privileges awarded by the Constitution to every U.S. citizen.

The immediate effects of the Fifteenth Amendment were dramatic. Throughout the South, thousands of African Americans registered to vote. The majority in many areas gained substantial political power and soon thereafter began serving as local, state, and federal representatives.