Abstract
One of the most important episodes of American history was the culmination of the Civil War and the ratification of the 15th Amendment to grant voting rights to African American males in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation. At no time in U.S. history has such a large number of people had their status transitioned almost overnight. This newfound freedom resulted in a radical shift in democratic ideas nationally and internationally. For African Americans in Pittsburgh, the 15th Amendment was a long-time coming to receive justice and the restoration of a right that had been taken away 31 years earlier.
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