Which amendment prohibits denying the right to vote based on race or color?

The 15th Amendment is significant because it specifically prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race or color, or because the citizen was formerly a slave. Ratified in 1870 during the Reconstruction era, the amendment was a key part of the broader effort to secure civil rights for African Americans following the Civil War. It was designed to ensure that race could not be used as a barrier to voting, aiming to protect the voting rights of newly freed slaves and affirming the principle of equality in the electoral process. This amendment laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements by explicitly stating that the right to vote cannot be infringed upon for racial reasons.

In contrast, other amendments such as the 14th Amendment address issues of citizenship and equal protection under the law, the 17th Amendment deals with the direct election of senators, and the 19th Amendment grants women the right to vote, none of which focus specifically on preventing racial discrimination in voting rights.