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The Vote
wealth and counsel, so indispensable to success jurisdiction the women in common with the
in its hour of danger. The colored women though women of the states and territories, feel keenly
humble in sphere, and unendowed with worldly the discrimination against them in the retention
goods, yet, led as by inspiration, — not only fed, of the word male in the organic act for the same,
and sheltered, and guided in safety the prisoner and as by reason of its retention, all the evils inci-
soldiers of the Union when escaping from the dent to partial legislation are endured by them,
enemy, or the soldier who was compelled to risk they sincerely, hope that the word male may be
life itself in the struggle to break the back-bone stricken out by Congress on your recommenda-
of rebellion, but gave their sons and brothers tion without delay. Taxed, and governed in other
to the armies of the nation and their prayers to respects, without their consent, they respectfully Document Project
high Heaven for the success of the Right. demand, that the principles of the founders of
The surges of fratricidal war have passed we the government may not be disregarded in their
hope never to return; the premonitions of the case: but, as there are laws by which they are
future, are peace and good will; these blessings, tried, with penalties attached thereto, that they
so greatly to be desired, can only be made per- may be invested with the right to vote as do men,
manent, in responsible governments, — based that thus as in all Republics indeed, they may in
as you affirm upon the consent of the gov- future, be governed by their own consent.
erned, — by giving to both sexes practically
the equal powers conferred in the provisions of
the Constitution as amended. In the D istrict of Source: Philip S. Foner and Robert James Branham, eds., Lift
Every Voice: African American Oratory, 1787–1900 (Tuscaloosa:
Columbia over which Congress has exclusive University of Alabama Press, 1998), 516–17.

A. R. Waud | The First Vote, 1867

This image by A. R. WAUD (1828-1891), which appeared in Harper’s Weekly, evokes the
revolutionary importance of African Americans’ first opportunity to vote. The range of
facial expressions, dress, status, and life experiences represented in the line of black
male voters suggests the various meanings and expectations attached to the event.
The black voters are humanized and individualized — a poor laborer, a well-dressed city
man, a soldier. This all-male image captures the reality of the vote as a privilege of man-
hood. The flag overhead, as well as the serious expression of the white man overseeing
the voting, reflects the profound political transformation represented by this very spe-
cial moment.

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