Which amendment prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, or previous condition of servitude?

Which amendment prohibits denying the right to vote based on race, or previous condition of servitude?

• A. 16th Amendment
• B. 15th Amendment
• C. 19th Amendment
• D. 20th Amendment

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is voting rights and nondiscrimination. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, forbids denying someone the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was adopted during Reconstruction to protect the voting rights of newly freed Black men after slavery ended. While it established a constitutional rule, in practice various barriers persisted for many decades, leading to later enforcement efforts during the Civil Rights era. The other amendments mentioned address different issues—one about taxes, one about extending suffrage to women, and one about the terms of office—so they do not address race-based voting denial.

The main idea here is voting rights and nondiscrimination. The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, forbids denying someone the right to vote because of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. It was adopted during Reconstruction to protect the voting rights of newly freed Black men after slavery ended. While it established a constitutional rule, in practice various barriers persisted for many decades, leading to later enforcement efforts during the Civil Rights era. The other amendments mentioned address different issues—one about taxes, one about extending suffrage to women, and one about the terms of office—so they do not address race-based voting denial.