Chronicle of Voting Rights: The Ongoing Struggle for Fair Elections

From October 4 to 7, 1864, in Syracuse, New York, the National Convention of Colored Men convened to advocate for the abolition of slavery and voting rights for Black men. This assembly included delegates from various states, highlighting a collective demand for political inclusion. They poignantly questioned, “Are we good enough to use bullets but not ballots?”Following this, Georgia ratified the 13th Amendment on December 6, 1865, marking slavery's official end. The Civil Rights Act of April 9, 1866, affirmed citizenship and vital rights for all born in the U.S. With continuing developments like the ratification of the 14th Amendment and seminal voting rights legislation in the 1960s, the battle for equality persisted against violence and systemic barriers. Important events included the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which finally guaranteed real access to the ballot, culminating a long, arduous journey toward Black voting rights.