Final answer:
After the 15th Amendment, states used various methods such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and white-only primaries to disenfranchise African American voters, undermining democracy. The Supreme Court's ruling in Smith v. Allwright began to challenge these practices, but it took until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 for more robust enforcement of voting rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Disenfranchisement of African American Voters
Despite the 15th Amendment, ensuring the right to vote could not be denied on the basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude, African Americans faced substantial barriers in exercising their voting rights. A variety of tactics were employed by states, particularly in the South, to disenfranchise African American voters. These included literacy tests, poll taxes, property qualifications, white-only primaries, and violence.
One of the more insidious methods was the manipulation of political party membership, restricting it to whites only. This was particularly impactful in the South, where the Democratic Party dominated, essentially controlling who could participate in the crucial primary elections. The Supreme Court case Smith v. Allwright in 1944 declared such practices unconstitutional, yet discriminatory actions persisted.
The cumulative effect of these efforts was to silence the political voices of African Americans, fundamentally undermining the democratic ideals of equal participation and representation. The federal government's inaction and state governments' resistance to enforce voting rights protections culminated in a betrayal of the democratic promise of the post-Civil War amendments.
It was not until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that concerted efforts were made to address and remove these barriers, providing a more equitable electoral landscape for African Americans. Unfortunately, the century between the 15th Amendment's ratification and the Voting Rights Act was marked by systemic voting suppression and discrimination against African American citizens, with profound impacts on American democracy.