Between 1790 and 1855, while voting rights generally expanded in the United States, one group that steadily lost voting rights was African Americans.
In the early years of the United States, some states allowed free African American men to vote, but by the early 19th century, many states had passed laws restricting voting rights based on race. These laws were often justified by claims that African Americans were not citizens or were not capable of exercising the responsibilities of citizenship.
In 1828, Maryland became the first state to require African American voters to meet property qualifications that did not apply to white voters. Other states soon followed suit with similar laws. In 1838, Mississippi amended its constitution to require voters to own at least $250 worth of property, effectively disenfranchising most African Americans in the state.
The situation worsened after the Civil War with the passage of Jim Crow laws in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These laws mandated racial segregation and denied African Americans basic civil rights, including voting rights. Poll taxes, literacy tests, and other discriminatory measures were used to prevent African Americans from voting.
It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that federal protections were put in place to ensure that all citizens had equal access to the ballot box regardless of race.