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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2018 49 FREE EQUAL CITIZENS VOTE It seems appropriate to start the New Year off with a glimpse of the most important amendments in American history for Black people. The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution are also known as the Civil War Amendments. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. The Senate, on April 8, 1864, and the House of Representatives, on Jan. 31, 1865, passed this Law. The 14th Amendment states that "all persons born or naturalized in the United States… are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process or equal protection of the law." The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that "no citizens of the United States shall be denied to vote on account of their race, color, or previous conditions of servitude." This Amendment was approved by the States in 1870. Collectively these three Amendments are the most valuable amendments for Black Americans. They freed the slaves, made all people born in the USA citizens with equal rights and protection under the law, and gave Black males the right to vote. In 1920, the 19th Amendment granted voting rights to women, including African- American women. It wasn't until 1964 that poll taxes became illegal under the 24th Amendment, removing another major obstacle to African-American voting rights. The legal process of incorporating slaves into society through appropriate legislation took five years after the civil war ended. However, racial discrimination from government and white supremacy groups like the KKK, Neo-Nazis, and white nationalists made it very difficult for Black people to assimilate into the American culture. The AACC would like to encourage you to become a part of a growing group that is striving to make a difference in our community. For more information, please contact Joyce Allen at (951) 769-4354 or Roxie Elliott at (951) 769-2517. ~ Regina Thomas African American Cultural Club

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