The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed by Congress on February 26, 1869, and ratified on February 3, 1870. The amendment states that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude". The amendment granted African American men the right to vote, and it was a significant step towards equality for African Americans. However, it did not confer the right of suffrage upon anyone, but rather prevented the States or the United States from giving preference to one citizen of the United States over another on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The 15th Amendment was a crucial part of the struggle for equality that would continue for more than a century before African Americans could begin to participate fully in American public and civic life.