Final answer:
The 15th Amendment and Civil Rights Act of 1875 were meant to ensure Black people's right to vote. Nevertheless, due to lax enforcement, loopholes in the legislation, unchecked intimidation tactics by white supremacist groups, and societal discrimination, many were effectively barred from exercising this right
Step-by-step explanation:
Although the 15th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1875 were enacted with the intention of providing African Americans with the same political freedoms as white citizens, they were not effectively implemented due to social and political resistance, particularly in the South. These laws mandated that no citizen could be denied the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude, however, their enforcement was lax and they did not address certain tactics used to suppress votes such as literacy tests and poll taxes.
Watertight legislation was not the only factor inhibiting African American voting rights: white supremacist groups often resorted to intimidation and violence to deter potential black voters. Despite the passing of the 15th Amendment and the Civil Rights Act, many Southern states found various ways to circumvent these laws and uphold racial hierarchies via Jim Crow laws. These laws enforced a system of legal segregation that also extended to black disenfranchisement.
Additionally, implicit bias and broad societal discrimination against African Americans also played a significant role in subverting these laws. It was not until the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century, and particularly the passing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, that many of these discriminatory practices were significantly challenged and dismantled.
Learn more about Voting Rights Suppression