What laws were passed to ensure equal rights for African Americans?

Answer 1

1. Civil Rights Act of 1964 - This was one of the most important pieces of legislation enacted by Congress for equal rights for African-Americans. It outlawed discrimination against blacks, unfair voter registration requirements, and racial segregation in schools, workplaces, and other public facilities.

2. Civil Rights Act of 1968 - This act added onto the rights already established by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The 1968 act prohibited racial or religious discrimination for the sale and rental of housing.

3. Voting Rights Act of 1965 - This was also a very important piece of legislation that helped end the disenfranchisement of African-Americans. Specifically, the 1965 act outlawed the usage of literacy tests that were previously required for voter registration. Because many African-Americans were unable to pass the literacy tests, they did not have the power to cast their ballots.

4. Twenty-Fourth Amendment - Because of this amendment, poll taxes were outlawed as a requirement to vote in federal elections. Poll taxes had appeared after the Reconstruction Era to prevent African-Americans from voting.

5. Fourteenth Amendment - The Citizenship Clause of this amendment broadened the definition of "citizen" to include blacks. The Equal Protection Clause ensured that each state had to provide equal protection to all of its citizens, regardless of race, color, or previous servitude.

6. Fifteenth Amendment - This amendment prohibited the U.S. government from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous servitude.

Answer 2

Freedom of speech and right to vote