Just one day after the 15th Amendment was adopted, on March 31, 1870, Thomas Mundy Peterson made history as the first African American to cast a ballot in a US election. This marked a turning point for Black Americans in the struggle for equality.

Thomas Mundy Peterson lived most of his life in Perth Amboy as a community worker who did cleaning and handyman work. Just a few weeks earlier, on February 3, 1870, the 15th Amendment was ratified. It stated that a person’s “race, color or past condition of slavery” could not be a reason to deny that person the right to vote by either the federal or state governments. This marked a significant move in the broader reconstruction effort, a period following the Civil War aimed at rebuilding the South and providing civilian rights to formerly enslaved people. Despite all this, there were substantial differences in its implementation in different states and communities. In this context of uncertainty and resistance, Thomas Mundy Peterson exercised his right — not just for himself, but for future generations.

After this simple but significant event, Peterson’s vote granted equal voting rights to Black people. This day marks an important day in history because his vote represented the promise of democracy, the tenacity of African Americans, and the prospect of Reconstruction. It gave hope for the ongoing Reconstruction efforts and the prospect of true equality in a country still dealing with the horrors of slavery. Peterson’s action, a small step for a man but a giant leap for civil rights, served as a potent reminder of the ongoing fight for civil rights and the significance of political engagement in influencing the course of history.