The legislation allowed ex-slaves to be considered American citizens and to have protection guaranteed by all laws, as well as white citizens, in addition to allowing them to have the right to vote.
Because of this, to increase the power of the black population, African Americans sought to raise representatives who could pursue their interests politically and to ensure that the rights given to them were respected. This was not an easy task and it took many years of struggle to preserve and seek more rights for blacks.
