[1]Stand Up America

I want to share a story with you.  

In 1880, a Black man living in Florida named Cuffie Washington went to his polling station to vote in the congressional election. A decade before, Congress had passed the 15th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote to all Black men following the end of the Civil War.

But at the polling location, Southern Democrats challenged Washington’s right to vote. For the crime of stealing three oranges, which had recently been deemed a felony in the state, Washington was stripped of his right to vote and forced out of participating in our democracy.

Your first reaction might be “Well, it was a different time.” But the truth is, it’s not.

Today, more than 5 million Americans are stripped of the right to vote due to a felony conviction–and they are disproportionately Black and brown voters. One in 16 Black Americans who are of voting age is disenfranchised. It’s estimated that two percent of the eligible voting Latino community is disenfranchised.

Every February, we take time to reflect on the history of what it means to be Black in America. We still have a long way to go when it comes to addressing the racist legacy of slavery and the integral role it has played in shaping this country. One of the ways we start is by taking a closer look at how the laws of the past impact our present. 

Click here to read more and walk through the history of felony disenfranchisement.

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Felony disenfranchisement laws aren’t racist by accident. In fact, they’re rooted in our country’s legacy of slavery and segregation. Just like poll taxes and literacy tests that were common in the 20th century, felony disenfranchisement laws were explicitly designed to deny voting rights to Black Americans.

Felony disenfranchisement laws don't just apply to the most heinous crimes you can think of, but for a wide range of offenses. Today in Florida, you can have your right to vote revoked for releasing helium balloons. It might not be stealing oranges, but it’s pretty close.

But no matter what a person is convicted of, they are still impacted by decisions made by their lawmakers. That’s why it’s so important that we fight to make sure everyone has a voice in our political system.

This issue is close to my heart. I spent countless hours in law school studying these cases, and you’ll be hearing from our team often as we build momentum around this fight and work to restore voting rights to all Americans.

The story of Black history in America is the story of the struggle for the vote. To build a truly multiracial democracy, we need to end the remaining barriers to the franchise. Take some time to read more about the history of felony disenfranchisement in America and get involved in the fight.

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So grateful to have you with us.

Reggie Thedford
Deputy Political Director, Stand Up America
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