What were "grandfather clauses"?

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Grandfather clauses were voting restrictions that were put in place after the Civil War and Reconstruction to prevent African Americans from voting. They stated that someone could only vote if their father or grandfather had been eligible to vote before a certain time, which was usually right before the end of slavery. This meant that although African Americans were technically allowed to vote after the 15th Amendment was passed, they were often unable to do so because their ancestors had been enslaved and therefore not eligible to vote. As a result, grandfather clauses were one of many Jim Crow laws that were used to suppress the African American vote.

What Were "Grandfather Clauses