Disenfranchisement refers to the act of depriving someone of their right to vote. This was commonly done through various restrictive measures, such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses.
Related terms
Jim Crow laws: These were state and local laws in the United States that enforced racial segregation and further perpetuated disenfranchisement.
Literacy tests: These were tests administered to potential voters to assess their reading and writing abilities. They were often used as a tool for disenfranchisement.
Poll taxes: A poll tax was a fee required to be paid by eligible voters before they could cast their ballots. It served as another barrier to voting for many African-Americans during this time period.