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The 15th Amendment to the Constitution prohibits the federal government and the states from denying citizens the right to vote based on race, color or previous condition of servitude. It gives Congress the power to enforce this through legislation.

1870

The year this amendment was ratified in.

What is a constitutional amendment?

A constitutional amendment alters the Constitution of the United States by striking or inserting new language. The Constitution establishes the structure, powers, and responsibilities of the federal government. It has been formally amended 27 times.

The constitutional amendment process is as follows:

Step 1

Two-thirds vote

An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures.

Step 2

Three-fourths ratification

Once proposed, the archivist of the United States submits the amendment to the states for consideration. It becomes part of the Constitution once it is ratified by three-fourths of the states.

Full text of the 15th Amendment

"Section 1. The 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 servitude. Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

When did the states ratify the 15th Amendment?

Congress proposed this amendment on February 26, 1869. Ratification was completed on February 3, 1870, when the 28th state, Iowa, approved the amendment, with 37 states in the Union at the time. Nevada were/was the first state/states to approve, three days after the amendment was proposed. Tennessee was the last state to approve, 46,800 days after the amendment was proposed.

Iowa completed ratification of the 15th Amendment.

Date of ratification by state, 15th Amendment

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How has the 15th Amendment shaped Supreme Court rulings?

The Supreme Court has the power of judicial review, which is the authority to declare that federal or state government actions violate the Constitution. This power shows how individual amendments can have a lasting impact on how laws are interpreted and applied.

Under judicial review, there have been 12 cases where the Court struck down laws as unconstitutional using the 15th Amendment.

Supreme Court cases invoking this amendment

Cases, 1798–2021

Supreme Court cases invoking this amendment
CaseYear

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USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.