Founded by community lawyers and advocates, Enfranchise 1865 educates North Carolinians on the political issues that shape their lives — from voting rights and criminal justice reform to constitutional law and environmental justice.
"We only ask to be treated as citizens, and we will demand equality under the law."
— Black Convention Leaders, Southern States, 1865President Johnson's Reconstruction policies left Southern states free to deny Black men the vote — the promise of emancipation was written in law but not enforced.
White voters in Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Minnesota rejected Black suffrage referendums, revealing that the denial of political rights was a national failure.
Black leaders convened across the South demanding equality and voting rights. Their fight continues through our work today.
Tracking changes to voter ID laws, polling access, redistricting, and ballot rules that affect every North Carolinian.
Learn More →From First Amendment protections to due process rights — we help communities know and exercise their legal protections.
Learn More →Shining a light on sentencing policy, pretrial detention, policing, and the laws that shape justice — or deny it.
Learn More →Connecting environmental policy and political power for communities bearing the greatest burden of environmental harm.
Learn More →Following the most recent appellate decision, thousands of registered voters may face new hurdles at the polls.
Three bills moving through the NC General Assembly would affect early voting hours and mail-in ballot deadlines.
Our annual review of incarceration rates, pretrial detention trends, and sentencing disparities across NC.
Enfranchise 1865 was born from a simple conviction: that an informed community is an empowered community. Founded by lawyers and advocates with deep roots in North Carolina, we exist to bridge the gap between complex political and legal realities and the residents most affected by them.
Too often, changes to voting laws, constitutional protections, criminal statutes, and environmental regulations happen without the people most impacted having the information or tools to respond. We change that — through rigorous research, accessible education, and sustained advocacy.
Our founders bring legal expertise to civic education, translating complex law and policy into knowledge every community member can use.
We illuminate political issues that receive little mainstream attention so communities can engage, organize, and act with full information.
We work alongside the communities we serve. Our research, programs, and advocacy are shaped by the lived experiences of North Carolinians.
Following the Civil War, President Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies did not require Southern states to enfranchise Black men, allowing the systematic exclusion of millions of newly freed Americans from the political process to continue unaddressed.
White voters in Connecticut, Wisconsin, and Minnesota rejected Black suffrage referendums in 1865, demonstrating that the denial of political rights was not a regional phenomenon but a national failure of democratic principle.
Black leaders and community members convened across the South — holding conventions, organizing collectively, and demanding equality under the law and full voting rights, laying the foundation for the civil rights struggle that continues today.
Enfranchise 1865 carries forward that demand. We are founded by community lawyers and advocates committed to shedding light on political issues that affect North Carolina residents — particularly those that disproportionately impact communities of color, low-income communities, and underrepresented populations.
We believe accountability starts with openness. Our research, funding, and advocacy positions are public and accessible to all.
The people most affected by political decisions are centered in everything we do — from how we set our agenda to how we communicate findings.
Our work is grounded in careful legal analysis. We don't speculate — we research, verify, and present the truth clearly and completely.
Structural change takes time. We are committed to North Carolina for the long haul, building community knowledge and political power that lasts.
Click any issue to expand our full analysis, key facts, and what's currently at stake for North Carolinians.
North Carolina has been at the center of some of the nation's most significant voting rights battles. Our state has seen repeated legislative and judicial battles over voter ID requirements, early voting access, same-day registration, and redistricting — battles that directly determine who has the power to participate in democracy.
Our legal team tracks every change to election law, translates the implications for voters, and advocates for policies that expand — not restrict — access to the ballot.
From First Amendment protections for protesters and journalists to Fourth Amendment rights during police encounters, constitutional guarantees are only meaningful when people know them. Too many North Carolinians are unaware of their rights — or lack access to legal help when those rights are violated.
North Carolina's criminal legal system disproportionately impacts communities of color and low-income residents at every stage — from policing and pretrial detention to sentencing and reentry. Our team conducts research, educates communities, and advocates for systemic reforms that make the system more just and equitable.
Environmental harms are not distributed equally. In North Carolina, industrial facilities, hog farms, coal ash ponds, and other pollution sources are concentrated in communities with less political power — overwhelmingly communities of color and rural low-income communities.
Research briefs, legislative alerts, court analysis, and community event announcements from the Enfranchise 1865 team.
Following the most recent appellate decision on NC's photo voter ID requirement, thousands of registered voters may face new hurdles at the polls. Our legal team breaks down what changed, who is affected, and what steps you can take.
Our annual review of incarceration rates, pretrial detention trends, sentencing disparities, and legislative activity across NC.
Three bills moving through the NC General Assembly would affect early voting hours, mail-in ballot deadlines, and same-day registration.
A new analysis of DEQ permitting data reveals a persistent pattern of industrial facility siting in predominantly Black and Latino communities.
Free open community session on your Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights during police encounters. Open to all NC residents.
NC currently bars people on probation and parole from voting. This brief examines the scale of that exclusion and legislative options for restoration.
The Court's recent decision narrows protections against warrantless searches. Our legal team explains the practical impact for NC residents.
Stay informed on the issues that affect North Carolina residents most.
Enfranchise 1865 was founded by a team of North Carolina lawyers and community advocates who saw a consistent gap between the political and legal changes happening in Raleigh and Washington, D.C., and the communities most directly affected by those changes.
We are a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization — which means we can speak loudly, advocate directly, and engage fully in the political process on behalf of the communities we serve.
The name Enfranchise 1865 is not incidental. 1865 marks the year the Civil War ended, the year emancipation became law — and the year that Black leaders across the South convened to demand equality, citizenship, and the right to vote, only to be denied by the very government that had promised freedom.
That gap between promise and reality — between rights on paper and rights in practice — is the gap we work to close. Our founders, lawyers and advocates with decades of combined experience in North Carolina's courts, communities, and legislative halls, came together with a shared frustration: too many people affected by major political and legal changes had no access to clear, accurate information about what those changes meant for them.
Enfranchise 1865 is our response. We translate, educate, advocate, and organize — so that every North Carolinian, regardless of zip code or background, can participate fully in the democratic life of our state.
A North Carolina attorney with extensive experience in voting rights litigation and community advocacy. [Bio placeholder — add your details here.]
A policy advocate and legal professional with deep roots in North Carolina's civic community. [Bio placeholder — add your details here.]
Whether you're a neighbor, a professional, an organizer, or a first-time activist — there's a place for you here.
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Lawyers, researchers, educators, organizers, and community members are all welcome. Every skill has a place in this work.
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Enfranchise 1865 is funded by North Carolinians who believe in the power of an informed community. Your contribution directly supports our research, community forums, policy advocacy, and educational programs.
Note: As a 501(c)(4) organization, contributions to Enfranchise 1865 are not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.