Prior the early 1800s wealthy African- American men could vote just as there rich white male counterparts could. However, voting rights were expanded to include poor white men, in a shift that began the transgression away from a stratified society based on class, to one which was now based on race; black wealthy men were now no longer allowed to vote. This page covers the context of the gradual decline in rights for African Americans which culminated in the loss of their voting rights, as well as the effects on the surrounding society and the resulting political climate as well as the revolt from the African-American community.