The right to vote in the United States was won through struggle. The Revolutionary War gave birth to that right, but more conflicts and movements were needed to expand the vote to all citizens.
After the Civil War, the state of Connecticut considered changing its constitution to grant Black residents the right to vote. The service of the 29th Connecticut Colored Regiment inspired them.
John Mills is the president of the Alex Breanne Corporation — a Connecticut-based nonprofit researching the lives of enslaved Americans.
He says that debate was underway while the 29th Regiment was returning home from the war.
"Connecticut is going, 'Shouldn't we change our Constitution to let Black Americans vote? These Black men just fought valiantly for our state.' And so they put it up for a vote. In October, November time frame of 1864. The citizens of Connecticut go, 'No. Let's leave the state Constitution with the word "white" as a requirement. Let's not let them vote.' And so I've got this narrative of Isaac J. Hill, he's writing it, and he says, 'The men of the 29th, were not too happy with Connecticut. We're about to go back there and they didn't even give us our rights.' They were fighting for a different purpose than white men. Black men were fighting to prove they were men. They were fighting to prove they were equal."
In 1870, Connecticut ratified the 15th Amendment, which stated that no one could be denied the opportunity to vote based on their race or previous servitude.
For the first time, Connecticut residents can vote early in a presidential election year. For more information on polling areas and ballot questions, click here.
