Final answer:
The Fifteenth Amendment prohibited both federal and state governments from denying the right to vote to citizens based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Despite its intentions, it did not immediately secure full voting rights due to other discriminatory practices, leading to the eventual passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Fifteenth Amendment and Voting Rights
The Fifteenth Amendment, ratified in 1870, represents a significant milestone in American constitutional history. It stated, "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." This provision was intended to protect the voting rights of the newly freed African Americans following the Civil War. However, despite the clear language of the amendment, it did not fully secure the voting rights due to other forms of discriminatory practices like literacy tests and poll taxes, which were later addressed through the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Though primarily directed at the state governments, it has been interpreted through Supreme Court rulings to apply to the federal government as well, barring both from using race, color, or previous condition of servitude as criteria to deny the right to vote. The Fifteenth Amendment was part of the larger Reconstruction effort, following the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, intended to integrate African Americans fully into American society as equal citizens.