African-American Suffrage

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the initial form of the U.S. Constitution made no actual comment on or mention of the suffrage and voting rights; these were left to state jurisdiction and meant that the enslaved African-American population did not have any rights in this sense, and furthermore, there were additional restrictions to voting rights, including income and property. It discusses the rocky road of black suffrage from the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 to the Civil Rights Act of April 1866.

From the Paper:

"Indeed, in February 1866, Frederick Douglas and a delegation of African Americans met with Lincoln's successor, President Andrew Johnson, to argument the Black's right to vote . Albeit the President's opposition, the delegation had given a clear signal from the Black community and the Congress took notice by passing the Civil Rights Act in April 1866. Vetoed by President Johnson at first, who stated that "the bill in effect proposes a discrimination against large numbers of intelligent, worthy, and patriotic foreigners, and in favor of the Negro, to whom, after long years of bondage, the avenues to freedom and intelligence have just now been suddenly opened", the Act was passed."

More papers on African-American Suffrage:

• Persuasive Essay # 149638 : "The Struggle for African-American and Women's Rights"
• Term Paper # 144217 : "19th Century African-American Women"
• Comparison Essay # 118693 : "The Struggle for Civil Rights"

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