Other forms: disfranchisements
Disenfranchisement is a state of being without the rights or power you deserve. Restricting people's ability to vote is an example of disenfranchisement.
The disenfranchisement of Black Americans has always existed in the U.S. It was a deliberate effort after the end of the Civil War; once Black men gained the legal right to vote, Southern legislators began working to keep that right from them. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 ostensibly ended this disenfranchisement, although gerrymandering and other restrictions continue to hamper the right of certain groups to vote. Disenfranchisement comes from enfranchise and its root meaning "set free."