The 24th Amendment was proposed by Congress in 1962 and ratified by the states in 1964 as part of a broader civil rights agenda aimed at improving electoral access. Poll taxes had emerged in the late 19th century as a means to restrict voting rights, particularly targeting African American citizens in the South, and were often used alongside literacy tests and other discriminatory practices. The imposition of a poll tax meant that individuals had to pay a fee to vote, which disproportionately affected those who could not afford to do so. The campaign to abolish poll taxes gained momentum alongside the Civil Rights Movement, which sought to dismantle systemic barriers to voting and equality for all Americans.

Upon ratification, the 24th Amendment represented a significant milestone in the fight against disenfranchisement. It reinforced the principle that voting should be accessible to all citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status. The amendment applied specifically to federal elections, impacting elections for President, Vice President, and members of the United States Congress. However, even after the amendment's ratification, some southern states continued to find ways to impose barriers to voting, leading to further challenges which would be addressed in subsequent civil rights legislation.

In 1966, the Supreme Court upheld the amendment when it ruled that poll taxes were unconstitutional in state elections as well, thus expanding its impact. Overall, the ratification of the 24th Amendment not only provided a legal framework to combat the discriminatory poll tax but also energized activists and voters alike in the ongoing struggle for civil rights and suffrage in America.