What is the key provision of the Fifteenth Amendment?

The key provision of the Fifteenth Amendment is that it granted voting rights regardless of race. Ratified in 1870, this amendment was crucial in the struggle for civil rights, as it aimed to ensure that African American men, along with individuals of other races, could not be denied the right to vote due to their race or color. This was a significant step following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, addressing the systemic discriminatory practices that were in place at the time.

The amendment was part of a series of Reconstruction Amendments designed to establish and protect the rights of former slaves and promote greater equality in the newly reunited nation. It laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements by bolstering the legal framework that protected voting rights, setting a precedent for later legislation aimed at enforcing equal access to the ballot.