The joint resolution of the United States Congress proposing the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, December 7, 1868.

Transcript:

Fortieth Congress of the United States of America;

At the third Session,

Begun and held at the city of Washington, on Monday, the seventh day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.

A RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of both Houses concurring) That the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said legislatures shall be valid as part of the Constitution, namely:

Article XV.

Section 1. 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 --

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. --

Schuyler Colfax

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

B[[object Object]]. F[[object Object]]. Wade

President of the Senate pro tempore.

Attest:

Edward McPherson

Clerk of House of Representatives

Geo[[object Object]] C. Gorham

Sec[[object Object]]y of Senate U.S.